The Weeping Sun
by Rememberance of Something
Summary: Love happens in strange places and does strange things. You think that you hate some with a passion to match no other, but then, in an blink of an eye they steal your heart and soul leaving you stund and yet smiling. ZukoxKatara No Squeal!
1. Chapter One

_**Note: **Here goes my story I hope everyone likes it!_

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the Avatar: Last Airbender characters or the story line._

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Chapter One

A boy in his late teens stood on the edge of the royal ship, his eyes looking toward the West where the sun was setting; his short hair gently blowing against his head sending a deep shiver down his back. They were headed for the main island of the Fire Nation where his father would either relinquish his honor or would send him away again. He turned his head, slightly smirking as he did so at the sounds of confused fire soldiers; he could hear their feet shuffling under the ship's iron deck.

"Prince Zuko," one of the head soldiers ran up, and in a worried tone exclaimed, "General Iroh is gone!"

Zuko turned back to what he was looking at trying to keep the smirk from forming a wide grin; he had already known his uncle had "escaped" in the night. Azula stood up from her throne, her two long bangs blowing rapidly in the wind, "What?!"

"He's gone!" the soldier responded, trembling in fear at the thought of facing her wrath.

The wind blew even harder making any doubts of a storm vanish as the sun was doing now.

Azula looked at her elder brother, her honey eyes narrowing, "Escaped has he?"

Her voice was like ice and her eyes were even colder. Zuko couldn't help but snicker some at getting the better of her, but knew better than to laugh out loud for his own sake. Up above a large and great animal flew over them letting out a groan. Both of the royal siblings looked up at the blue gray sky as the rain began to fall.

"The Avatar," Zuko said more to himself than Azula.

"I _will_ deal with Uncle, and whoever helped him later," she emphasized on the word "will" while glancing at her brother, "Commander Zoel, follow that bison."

"Yes ma'am," he bowed and left.

"Azula, let me get him!" Zuko yelled over a clap of thunder.

Azula cackled just as a bolt of white lightening streaked across the sky, "Why? You'll just fail again!"

Zuko could feel rage swelling in his chest; he wanted nothing more than to throw her off the ship. His hands clasped into fists from his anger as tiny blue flames shot out between his fingers; why was he there again?

_Oh yeah, honor. _

He watched as Azula formed her lightening stance until a bolt of blue lightening shot out of her two fingertips. The bison dodged it only to be nearly struck by a bolt from the sky.

"The heavens are angry," he heard one of the soldiers murmur as the rain began to beat harder and harder on top of them.

He paid no heed to the other murmurs but clenched his fists tighter and tighter all the while wishing that she would miss some more and the Avatar would escape.

That wouldn't be the case.

Azula sent out another bolt of lightening, this time hitting the great beast on his flat tail, making him rear up. He could hear someone scream and watched as the same figure fell into the water below. His eyes widened; it was the girl from the crystal caverns in Ba Sing Se. The bison, in panic, fled further and further into the storm, even though he could hear screams of protest. Azula sat back on her throne; them now being out of her reach, and said, "Follow them."

"What about the girl?" Zuko inquired, struggling to stay on his feet due to the rocking of the ship.

"What about the girl?" Azula repeated, mocking him.

"She'll drown!" he fell over by the force of a wave crashing against the vessel.

"And?" she tightened her grip on her throne's arms to keep from flipping over

"We can use her for bait!" he didn't want the girls death to be on his head, but also, he felt he owed her for what he had done in the crystal catacombs.

"No! Now go away!" she snapped.

He stormed away from her fuming; he was really getting tired of being told what to do by his younger sister. Suddenly another wave swept over the ship taking with it several men including him. Everything was a blur when he went under, his instincts screamed at him to grab something, anything. Feeling a rope swirling in his hands he grabbed it and when the wave passed he pulled himself up.

He took off his heavy crimson robe so that all he wore now was his black sleeveless shirt that stopped at his waist meeting his equally crimson pants, then he tied it around himself and called out to the nearest three soldiers, "Make sure this doesn't break."

"This is suicide!" one soldier yelled at him over the roar of the rain, "Is she really that important?"

He didn't answer but jumped into the freezing ocean; at first the waves seemed to be getting the better of him, but he continued to swim. He came up for air searching the sea he saw her just as she slipped under from a wave over her powering her small body. He swam even faster toward her now as she slipped into the depths of the ocean.

_Hold on_, he thought, _I'm almost there_.

He didn't even notice the snake like rope floating under him.

When he reached the girl his heart seemed to have skipped a beat. She really resembled a water goddess with her ebony hair floating about her as if she were on clouds. He shook his head, then quickly grabbed her by the waist and swam toward the surface of the water. About the same time they reached the top, they were drug back under by the weight of her animal skin coat, knowing this he pulled it off of her watching as it sank to the bottomed. When he resurfaced he began to pull on the rope.

He pulled and pulled until the end was in his hands, burnt. _Azula_.

Untying the rope, he turned about in circles looking for either land to swim to or driftwood to float on. Something hit him on the back of his head turning his vision white, nearly making him go under, he turned around to see a rotten piece of drift wood.

_Good_, he thought, _land is near._

He pulled himself and the girl onto the piece of wood, and then rolled on his back closing his eyes.

"Mommy?" the girl mumbled, "Where are you, Mommy?"

"Your mother isn't here," he replied to her question, not out of being mean as out of exhaustion

The girl didn't answer, but once again passed out. He could feel the storm becoming more and more distant as they floated further and further out into open sea. He pulled her more toward him to help keep the driftwood balanced and fell into a deep restless sleep.


	2. Chapter Two

_**Note:** I know I put the disclaimer as its own chaptered but I didn't want to have to keep rewriting it, but it seems kind of lame so I guess I will anyways! Oh, yeah and I'm learning Spanish so I thought I'd share some really quick:_

_La chicka es muy, muy linda y muy comica._

_I just said, literally: The girl is very, very pretty and very funny._

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the Avatar: Last Airbender characters or the story line._

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Chapter Two

When he opened his eyes again, he realized that it was dusk, _I must have slept for a full day_, he glanced at the sleeping girl,_ she must have too_.

He let out a low moan at the sight of a ship graveyard. The ships were new from his father's fleets; some were water and earth bender ships, while others were more than a hundred years old. Beyond the vessels was a small beach. His heart began to thump in excitement they had actually made it. They were saved. The beach was slowly creeping toward them but even though they were miles off he had an uneasy feeling about the island. His memory flashed back to when he was younger:

_"Uncle," he said while sitting in the chair next to Iroh, swinging his legs back and forth under him, "What are you doing?"_

_Iroh was leaning over a large map, he looked up smiling at his nephew filled with so much love and curiosity, "Ah, Zuko, its so good to see you, and what mischief are we up to today?" _

_His younger self smiled up at Iroh, "None yet." _

_Iroh let out a joyous laugh then said, "We can only hope. And where is your sister and her two lovely friends?" _

_He screwed his face up in disgust and in a reproached voice said, "Ew, I don't know." _

_Iroh laughed again placing a hand on Zuko's head, "One day you'll come to like them." _

_He jerked his head from Iroh and changing the subject he replied, "What is that map of?" _

_Iroh's golden eyes fallowed his finger to the map of their world, "It's our world, see? The red is us, the Fire Nation, the blue are the Water Tribes, and the green is the Earth Kingdom." _

His mind flashed back to the present, _I don't remember this island_, he thought as they passed by the ships and crashed onto the beach.

He glanced at the female water bender at his side; she was breathing, it was shallow, but it was breath. He examined the island slowly taking in the environment around him one area at a time. The beach went all the way around as far as he could see, beyond that was nothing but a dense forest, and in the middle of the forest was a massive volcano.

_No, I definitely don't remember this island_.

"Where am I?" the girl asked slowly raising her hands up to her face; she let out a loud groan dropping them to her right rib cage.

"Are you hurt?" Zuko asked trying to keep his voice from sounding harsh, but at the same time making her realizes they were not friends.

Her aqua colored eyes opened halfway then opened all the way until he was completely in her vision, "Y-y-you!"

She tried to jump up, but her injury wouldn't allow it. He sat up, an arrogant smirk stretched across his face, "Keep that up and you'll kill yourself."

"Oh, like you care!" she screamed at him while trying to roll off the driftwood and into the sand as if an attempt to get away from him.

"I don't really," he snapped back getting to his feet.

She growled at him, rolled on her side, then yelled, "Y-your so annoying! I hate you and all your kind, stupid fire bender!"

He felt a sharp pain in his chest, and defensively said, "I just saved your life!"

She didn't say anything to that, but slowly rose to her feet, nearly falling over out of pain and weakness, "I didn't ask for your help!"

"I'll keep that in mind next time I see you drowning!" he yelled through his teeth. He was trying to stay calm with her but it was very difficult for him; he turned on his heels and began to walk toward the woods.

"Hey!" he heard her voice yell, "Where are you going?!"

"What do you care?" he could hear heavy breathing as her feet shuffled through the sand, and then she stopped.

"I-I don't-" she stopped talking, _finally_, he thought walking on, but then he heard her fall to the ground with a thud.

"Great," he hissed turning around to see her passed out in the sand, "Stupid."

He walked over to her, kneeling down, he gently moved her long, wet hair out of her face. He could feel that she was shivering deeply and found himself shivering as well. Scooping her up in his arms, he walked to the edge of the forest where their campsite would be. He gathered large pieces of wood so that he could build a fire to keep them warm; this was going to be a long night.

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When he opened his eyes, he couldn't remember where he was or how he had gotten there. The sun was just breaking across the sky and a gentle breeze ruffled through his dried hair. Any signs of the storm were now gone. He rolled over to see the water bender curled into a ball on the other side of the fire he had made the former night. Her eyes slowly opened as well. 

"What?" she snapped at him even though she was unable to move through her pain. He laughed, some, amazed that she was able to be so tough, "Stop laughing, this isn't funny!"

"Your hurt badly, aren't you?" he questioned using a distant tone no longer laughing. He knew that he couldn't be her friend or act friendly toward her otherwise he would be a traitor to all. He didn't want to make friends with her, and then have to fight her in the war. He had to keep his distance; it would be better that way, for both of them.

"No thanks to your sister!" she hissed no longer looking at him but at the ash pile that had once been the fire pit; she seemed to be avoiding his eyes.

He grunted, stood up, then commanded, "Let me see where your hurt."

She sat up, looking him straight in the eyes and said, "No."

"Don't be stupid," he snapped loosing his patients, "It could be serious!"

"I don't care," she paused then added, "You can't be trusted."

"I saved your life, I didn't let you drown when I could have," he walked toward her a little then stopped in his tracks because of the small water whip she had formed, "Would you stop?!"

"NO! GO AWAY!" she yelled at him lashing the air with her pathetic whip, "WHEN AANG AND SOKKA ARRIVE YOU'LL BE SORRY YOU EVER KIDNAPPED ME!"

"I DIDN'T KIDNAP YOU!" he yelled back at her now sorry he had ever saved her life, "I SAVED YOUR LIFE!"

"RIGHT, LIKE I'M SUPPOSE TO BELIEVE THAT AFTER WHAT YOU DID?!"

"Believe what you want," he growled walking into the trees, "I don't care."

She didn't say anything but allowed him to leave. The forest trees were very large, almost as big as medium size huts covered by green-gray mossy type plants.

_Zuko_

He jerked around trying to find the voice that said his name, but no one was there, just the trees of the forest. He shook his head, and then continued to walk in the direction he was headed.

_Zuko_, the voice came again, _we know who you are fire prince. _

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	3. Chapter Three

_**Note:** Just to let everyone know, that has reviewed my story, thank you for all your support and criticism! Like I said before I can't become a good writer with only compliments so if you have to be brutal then be brutal it's all straight. Anyways my friend taught me how to say, who cut the cheese, in French:_

_Qui ala coup le pramage?_

_I just thought I'd share that with you._

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the Avatar: Last Airbender characters or the story line._

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Chapter Three

"Who's there? Show yourself!" he demanded engulfing his hands in scarlet flames.

_We know who you are, Zuko, and we know who she is to,_ the voice giggled.

"What about the water wench?" the flames inched up his arm at the mention of the girl and himself, "How do you know us?"

The voice sounded closer now, _We know your search is futile, he will never accept you._

"You don't know what you're talking about!" The fire around his hands and arms strengthened.

_But we do, oh yes we do. We know that she will never be your friend as much as your father will never love you._

He quickened his pace; he had to get out of there.

_We know you will be alone like us, forever._

He broke out into a run, his fire now vanishing in panic.

The voice continued to follow him all the while chanting: _You'll_ _be_ _alone_ _like_ _us_.

Then it stopped, he found himself in the middle of a small clearing in the rather chatty forest. It had a small, clear stream that emptied into an even clearer pool behind an old oak tree. He could see tiny silver fish swimming gracefully in it; the wind blew gently against the tall glossy grass as a mother would ruffle her child's hair.

"This is a good campsite," he mumbled heading back toward the beach for the girl.

Kicking the sand up as he walked toward her, he said, "Hey girl, get up."

Her eyes narrowed at the sight of him, "Why?"

"I found a better campsite," he replied keeping a cold, distant tone.

"Oh really, where?" she stood up, her legs trembling from weakness.

"Why wont you let me help you?!" he was frustrated with her and could no longer hide it, "If I was going to hurt you I would have done so already while you were sleeping!"

Her eyes shifted to the ground, she mumbled something inaudible while rubbing her rib cage lightly.

"What?" he walked closer to her.

"My name is Katara," she yelled at him then added, "Don't we need to gather supplies?"

He was taken back by her willingness to corporate with him as of the moment.

"What?!" she snapped at him because he was staring at her.

"You don't need to get supplies with your injuries you'll only make them worse."

"I'm not going to let you do all the work yourself."

"Then heal yourself," he recalled, "When we were in the catacombs of Ba Sing Se you said you had a healing ability."

She flinched at the mention of Ba Sing Se, "It doesn't work like that."

"How does it work then?" he cocked his head to the side in curiosity, forgetting he wasn't suppose to allow her to get close to him.

"I can only heal others and not myself; it has something to do with being selfless," she paused, "Um, how'd, how'd you get your scar?"

He was surprised by her question at first, but then in a distant tone said, "Come on we need to make camp before dusk."

"Alright lead the way."

He nodded his head, and then held out his arm to her, his eyes silently offering to help. She shook her head also silently replying. They walked into the forest with him in lead and Katara as the rear, their steps echoed for a few minutes but then the voice came back to him.

_So your back fire prince?_ The voice required it's laughter like evil.

"Shut up," he answered in a low growl, quickening his pace forgetting Katara was behind him.

"Zuko!" she yelled struggling to keep up, "Wait!"

He stopped, turning around to see her at least ten feet off, "Hurry up," he hissed.

"I'm trying!" she snapped at him regaining her distrusting tone again.

_She does not want to be with you, join us and we will be with you, but she wants to be with him._

"Shut up!" he yelled, "Shut the hell up!"

The fire reappeared around his hands, Katara's voice came from behind him, "Zuko what are you doing? What's going on?"

"You don't hear it?" he asked angrily the frustration building up inside him.

"What?" she didn't hide her skepticism.

_She thinks your crazy because you are talking to us; she will leave you and you will be alone._

"Stop talking to me!" he yelled as he began to walk again.

"FINE!" she yelled at him, "I was only trying to help!"

_She hates you._

"No, not you! You don't hear the voice?" he whirled around to look in her eyes to see if she was mocking him.

"What voice?! I don't hear anything!"

They reached the clearing and once more the voice stopped; he shook his head then whispered, "Never mind."

"Whatever," she hissed, shoving passed him then exclaimed, "Oh, its so beautiful."

"Yeah," he said, "I'll be back later."

She didn't answer him as he reentered the forest, but instead, walked to the clear glass pool of water. He didn't even bother to walk this time but ran. He could hear the voice's murmurs, but he was going so fast that he couldn't comprehend them. When he reached the beach he set off to work searching for shells they could use for bowls along with various other necessities like food.

By the time he had returned to their new campsite it was nearly dusk. He dropped their supplies onto the ground which he had been carrying on his back using his shirt as a bag. Katara was no where to be seen he began to panic; his voice echoed as he yelled, "Katara, where are you?"

"Why are you yelling?" he heard her voice snap from behind the old oak tree.

He went behind it to see her sitting on the bank with a pile of fish flopping next to her, she leaned over the water splashing it with her hands, "Um…where's your…uh…shirt?"

"I had to use it to carry the supplies in," he informed her catching a fish that was about to flop into her abandon right boot.

"Thanks," she said to him now focusing on the water and not the fact that his upper half was currently naked from any stitch of cloth.

"I think that's enough," he told her impressed by her catch.

"I kind of feel sorry for them," she mumbled standing up.

_That's the first time she has spoken to me with anger or hate_, he noted to himself getting up grabbing two of the fish she had caught while she grabbed two more.


	4. Chapter Four

_**Note: **Thanks for the reviews! I'm glad that people actually like it!_

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the Avatar: Last Airbender characters or the story line._

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Chapter Four

The air was still, the stars crisp shinning as bright as diamonds on black velvet, and the crickets chirped, nature's violins. The fire crackled in front of both the fire prince and the water peasant as their fish roasted. Katara, overcome with curiosity looked over at the prince, and asked, "How come you chase us?"

"What do you mean?" He responded not looking at her but at the snapping fire in front of him, knowing very well what she meant.

"Why do you chase the Avatar?" making her sentence clear she examined him over the fire.

"Do you remember when we were imprisoned together in the crystal caves of Ba Sing Se and I told you I was banished from my home?"

"Yeah, I remember, that was right before you attacked Aang, and helped your sister hurt him or should I say nearly kill him?" her voice held a hint of disgust in it.

"That's it," his head drooped some in shame of the memory, "When I was banished from my home my father said the only way I could return home, to restore my honor, was to bring him the Avatar."

"Even if that meant destroying the world's only chance of peace."

"At the time," his eyes met hers, "My only thought was to go home. I didn't know of the world's sufferings done to by my father's soldiers, no, I knew, but never truly comprehended them. My Uncle tried to tell me, but I didn't listen."

"Your selfish," she hissed at him, her sapphire eyes as if ice.

He seemed not take offense to her insult, but just looked at her eyes with his warm honey ones that held an unmasked loneliness. He knew in his heart she was right; he was selfish but who in this hell, they called life, wasn't? It was silent for a few minutes then he said, slowly, "I know I'm selfish, and I'm sorry."

"Your sorry? Is that all you can say? Do you honestly think sorry can make all what your kind has done, better?" she paused, took a breath, then added, "Oh I'm sorry that my soldiers raped you, killed your husband and only son, burned your crops, destroyed your village, and sent your daughters to a brothel, please forgive me."

Her sarcastic tone echoed in his ears and her words pierced his soul like a thousand hot needles.

_Do my people really do those things? __No, they couldn't have, they would never do such things, would they?_

He ignored his burning fish, "My people would never do those things! They're honorable men not heathens!"

"Oh yeah?" she screamed at him, "How do you know Prince Zuko?"

He looked away from her gaze knowing deep down her words were the truth, no matter how crude they were.

"You weren't there," tears streamed down her tan cheeks as the shadows, cast from the fire, danced across her face, "You weren't there when they invaded my village! When they came our men were in the East and they killed most of our young boys, and do you want to know why? DO YOU?"

He shook his head, guilt circulating through his body, "No."

"Well let me tell you, they killed them saying that they rebelled but the truth is they didn't want them to grow up and pose a possible threat to the Fire Nation.

"Shut up," he mumbled knowing she had something else to say to him.

"Shut up? What you can't handle the truth about your own soldiers?"

Zuko placed his head on his hands his mind filled with guilt, "Don't judge me based on what they did to you and your family. Don't judge me, you don't know me anything about me or what I've been through. I realize you don't care, but don't pretend you know me."

Katara was silent for a moment then said coldly, "How can I know you when you make it clear that you aren't on our side?"

He didn't reply.

"You said that you didn't comprehend sufferings of the world, but I think you just chose to ignore them because its easier than facing the truth," her hand went to the small blue pendent around her neck where she fingered it gently, "Maybe its time you understood."

He still didn't reply, but remained motionless; she stared at him for a while then he said, "Its war."

"What?"

He said it louder now, "Its war, people die."

"Got to hell," she was now on her feet, "You weren't there when they killed my mother or him! Sokka and I were in the berry bushes when your_ noble_ soldiers came, he and Mom were in the kitchen preparing for us to come back with the ice berries for the pie we were making. I watched as they lock them inside our house and set it on fire. And do you know how old he was? DO YOU? He was EIGHT the same age as Sokka at the time!"

He couldn't seem to meet her eyes, his mouth was dry, and his heart was filled with disgust that he could barely contain.

_How could his father's, no, his soldiers do something so vial and cruel; as to burn a woman and an eight year old child alive?_ _They really are heathens, _he thought, _so am I a heathen as well? _

"You have no idea what suffering is."

He let out a low laugh, "I know what's its like not to be loved or even so much as liked by the one person in the world you would want to love you, even if no one else did."

Their fish were nothing now but ash mixing in with the wood; her tears were dry and she was now listening to him.

"My grandfather was going to kill me as punishment to my father's insensitivities toward my Uncle's loss of an only child. The only person who seemed to care was my mother and a day after my grandfather died she vanished."

Her voice softened, "I'm sorry."

"Its not your fault," he mumbled, "She died for me; I'm sure of it. I don't blame you for blaming me, but I didn't do those things."

"I'm going to bed," her voice was almost inaudible as she rolled onto her back. He sat up for awhile his mind uneasy about the story she had just told him.

_Was it true? But then, why would she lie? She had no motive unless her motive was simply to get at me. _

He shook his head, he didn't know. It seemed lately that he didn't know a lot about anything. He laid on his back, using his arms as pillows, next to the dieing fire he had created. Looking up at the stars, he sighed, slipping into a restless sleep, not noticing the shadow like figure lurking in the trees.­

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Something cold, sharp was against his throat, it bit into his skin making the elixir of life trickle down his neck. Taking several gulps of air, almost like a fish would when out of the water, he opened his amber eyes. Something had him or more like, someone. He heard someone breathing behind him, when he tried to wiggle his arms; the realization that they were pinned aggravated him deeply. 

"I know who you are Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation," a male voice whispered into his ear.

"Who are you?" Zuko croaked, all the moisture in his throat now gone.

"I am the spirit of this island, and you are not welcomed here," the blade of the knife pressed some what harder to his throat, "This is the home of refugees that your nation has made, and I will not allow you to stay."

"Then we will leave," thinking it best to appease the supposed spirit he decided not to argue.

"The water bender will stay with us, where all her and her virtues will be safe from your savage hands," the spirit spat dangerously.

Zuko growled, then angrily said, "My hands are not hands of a savage; I saved her from the ocean's murderous waters, and we will leave this island together."

"Whoever said you would leave alive?" the spirit hissed, "I said you couldn't stay but not in the manner you would be leaving. I cannot and will not permit you to leave this island alive nor can you stay on it alive."

"Then what is your plan?" Zuko's mind and heart was racing but his voice remained calm not giving away his true emotions.

"My plan?" the spirit laughed, "My plan is to kill you."

"And her?"

"She will stay here with me on the island," he felt his body being released from the spirit's grasp.

Standing face to face with the acclaimed spirit, Zuko allowed flames to engulf his hands all the way up to his elbows, "If you want to kill me here I am."

The spirit jumped over the ash pile toward the now stirring Katara, jerking her up by the hair, he put his blade to her throat and warned, "Put away your flames fire demon."

Katara let out a startled cry from being attacked in her sleep; her eyes met Zuko's, pleading, her confusion clear to him. He let the flames diminish although the fire in his eyes and heart didn't, "Let her go."

The spirit laughed again, "I wont harm her if you behave; I only want you dead but not tonight the time is not yet right, but soon."

"What?" Katara managed, trying to shrink from the blade, though her efforts were futile.

"Soon, very soon," he repeated pulling his mask down from his lips revealing a tiny scar on his lips in the glow of the moon's light. He leaned over the unsuspecting girl kissing her neck, letting out a loud yelp Katara struggle to free herself. Allowing her to fall to the ground, the spirit of the island disappeared into the shadows of the forest.

"I can't," she gasped, "believe he did that!"

"Are you alright?" Zuko asked her stepping over the pile of ash.

"Yeah, I just feel violated some," she humored, rubbing her neck with her palm, then added, "What was that about?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?" she asked unbelievingly, but was to tired to argue.

"Tomorrow."

"Huh?"

"Tomorrow I'll send out help signals," he laid down beside the forest edge and instantly fell asleep unaware of the sound of a growling canine in the forest behind him.


	5. Chapter Five

_**Note:** Okay so apparently my story is good; well I'm very pleased to hear this so hopefully everyone who reads it will like be impressed by it._

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the Avatar: Last Airbender characters or the story line._

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**Chapter Five**

Zuko felt his foot hit something hard in the ground making tears swell in his eyes, from the blow to his unprotected limb. Reaching into the sand he pulled out a decent size oyster, he smiled to himself, _food_. They had been on the island for three days now and the only manner of food they had eaten was roots and the occasional fruit when the tree appeared, it was about time they ate some meat even if the meat was as pathetic as oyster. He dug a hole in the sand then managed to pour salt water in it to keep the shellfish fresh. Once he had combed the beach for any more oysters it was time for business. Taking a deep breath he shot twelve fireballs into the air, rested, then did again over a period of several hours.

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The sun was in the middle of the sky by the time he went to camp to rest, Katara was holding his shirt above the embers of the fire he had made the following morning. 

"What are you doing?" he inquired dropping the oysters on the soft grass next to the fire pit.

"Drying your shirt, what else?" her voice was warmer than before but he could see she still blamed him, she threw his shirt at his face, "Here, its dry."

"Thanks," he mumbled, almost like a scolded child, and then added hesitantly, "I found some oysters we can eat."

"Good!" she exclaimed dropping her barrier that she had so carefully put up, but just as fast as she dropped it she put it back, "I'll prepare them."

"Do you need a bigger fire?"

"Fire? No, at home we eat oysters raw."

"Ew, raw! Why? That sounds gross."

"Well," her voice was dangerous now, "if you don't like the way we make oysters make them yourself!"

"No," he tried to correct himself; "at the palace we always roasted them and ate them with cheese and bread."

Katara thumped her index finger impatiently on her leg, "We don't have cheese or bread."

"I'll eat them any way you cook them," her eyes flashed, correcting himself he said, "Prepare them."

"Alright, do you have something I can pry them open with?"

"No."

"That's okay," she pointed two of her fingers toward the pool pulling a small thread of water away from it, with a quick snap of her wrist the water sliced through each shell forcing them open, "I got it."

He poked the meat inside the shell with his finger then wiped the juices on his shirt, noticing Katara glaring at him, he almost involuntarily asked, "What?"

"I know you just didn't do that."

"Do what?"

"Wipe oyster's juice on the shirt I just washed."

"It looks like boogers," he said changing the subject from his abuse of the cleansed shirt.

"Ew! Zuko I'm trying to eat!"

He didn't reply, but stared disgusted at the small clam like creature in his hands.

_How can people eat these things raw?_

He swirled the shell some before allowing the meat to slide down his throat; the taste lingered on his tongue making him want to vomit.

"Its not that bad," she laughed at the face he was currently making.

"No, its horrible!" he yelled running over the pool of water, gulping it down as if he hadn't had water in days.

She calmly slurped down another oyster asking as she did so, "Do you want me to catch a fish for you so you can eat?"

Gulping down some more water he replied, "I'll get them."

She let out a low snort.

"What?" he asked defensively, knowing her snort was out of disbelief that he could catch a fish, "I can catch one!"

"Uh-huh," she sarcastically agreed, finishing off the last of the oysters he had brought, "This I want to see."

He took off his shirt hanging it on a low branch, so that it wouldn't get wet, rolled up his pant legs, and entered the icy water. The mud on the floor of the pool sunk some under his weight as tiny and large silver fish swam by.

"This isn't to hard," he mumbled to himself watching the fish with his acute eye.

Katara sat on the bank in front of him, forgetting both the war and his betrayal, for that one moment, time seemed to have frozen in place and nothing existed but them, a smile stretched across her face, "Okay fire boy, lets see you catch a fish."

He struck the water like a snake striking its prey, closing his hand he brought it out to reveal nothing but brown mud, he heard Katara laughing from the bank hysterically.

"I could have caught a fish," he informed her taking the last bite of the three silver fish she had bended out of the water.

"You're a horrible fisher," she laughed standing up.

He leaned back against the old oak, now that he had pleased his stomach, "That was my first time fishing."

Katara's face became serious now, "Hey what did that guy mean by soon?"

"Nothing," he repeated his answer from last night, "I'm going to sleep."

"Hmmm," she looked at him long and hard even making him believe, for a minute, that she was actually reading his soul.

_Why does she do that? _He asked himself closing his eyes allowing the sun's rays to beat the back of them relaxing him almost instantly, "What?"

"Nothing," her voice mimicked in a song, "I'm going to wash in the pool so don't look!"

He rolled his eyes, "Don't flatter yourself."

She grunted, stuck her tongue out, and went behind the tree he was lounging on. The next time he woke up was to the sound of a siren's voice, her lyrics filling his ears like the water flowing down the stream; he focused his mind on her words as the wind tossed his hair gently:

"When the night is gone,

And we can no longer hear her song,

I will be there for you.

When the moon is shattered,

And our souls become tattered,

I will be there for you.

So never fear, my dear,

I will always be near,

I will be there for you."

The song stopped as the sound of splashing water replaced it, she reappeared from around the tree and quietly stalked over to the pit, he was unable to control his curiosity so he questioned, "What was that song you were singing?"

She jumped at the sound of his voice, "I thought you were asleep!"

"I was."

"Well don't do that!"

"Do what?"

"Pretend to be sleeping then ask me something; you scared me!"

He opened his eyes, "I can see that."

The sounds of twigs snapping in the forest was lost in their voices, and the low, base growl of a wolf mixed in the sound of the bubbling stream so close to them.

She let out a sigh; "The song was a lullaby my mother use to sing to me before she died."

"Oh," he closed his eyes once more the forest becoming still, though a pair of bright yellow eyes appeared out of the brush.

* * *

"Zuko!" a panicked voice yelled jerking him awake from his dreamless sleep. His eyes snapped open to the sound of a growl, a low dangerous growl. To his dismay a large wolf-like creature had cornered Katara against a tree on the edge of the forest, his ivory fangs bared with his lips pulled back in a snarl. 

He jumped to his feet, "What is that?"

"Stay where you are fire heathen," the creature barked, hair on end.

"Help me!" Katara whispered shaking violently in her fear.

"What do you want?" Zuko demanded of the wolf, stalling for time so he could think of a plan.

_I could hit it with a fire attack_, he pondered, _but then I could also hit her and I don't want to risk the wolf attacking her before my attack makes contact with him._

"Let her go," the beast turned on Zuko as Katara fell to the ground, "fire scum, she will do your people no harm."

"What?" both, the bender of fire and bender of water, were startled by the beast's concern for her safety.


	6. Chapter Six

_**Note: **Aw thanks for that correction!!! How could I misspell boogers? What idiot does that? Well apparently me, but enough with my idiot self, on with the story! Sorry my chapters so short by the way; also if there are errors sorry because I didn't proof read it this time._

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the Avatar: Last Airbender characters or the story line._

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Chapter Six

"You heard me!" the wolf growled his yellow eyes focused one single target, the prince's tender throat.

"Who are you?" Zuko demanded his temper raising as a strong wind blew his short hair furiously

"Let her go," the beast repeated advancing toward him, low to the ground, "The water bender belongs with us."

"What are you talking about?" Katara's sapphire eyes were puzzled, "How'd you know I am a water bender?"

"I know a lot about you, Katara of the South Pole," the black wolf stopped growling, but his teeth remained bared, "And of the fire scum."

"But how?" her eyes went to Zuko; he could tell she was planning something.

As if reading his mind about whether he should attack or not the wolf snarled at him, "If you attack I will kill her."

A large wave swept the creature to the right and imprisoned him in a cage of ice; Zuko's eyes went to Katara who's arms were stretched out in front of her, a smirk on her face. The dog growled darkly as the ice around him melted to water then bended so that it knocked Katara off her feet in one swift movement.

"What the…" the fire bender's words were cut off by the advancements of the canine whose destination was inches away.

A searing pain exploded in Zuko's right arm as the wolf's sharp ivory teeth embedded themselves in his soft flesh. The magnitude of the pain seemed to blind him for a moment, when his senses came back to him he allowed fire to be emitted from his body; dodging the flames the wolf jumped to the other side of the meadow.

"Zuko are you okay?" he heard Katara yell over at him.

"Yeah, its just a minor bite," he lied taking up a defensive position just in case the dog tried to attack again as blood dripped from his arm staining the ground below crimson.

"Kara!" the dog yelled at her angrily, "Why are you helping him?!"

Zuko glanced at Katara who had dropped her offensive position and was staring at the dog in disbelief as well as shock

"What is it?" Zuko inquired not dropping his guard.

"Who are you?" she practically screamed at the dog through her teeth clenching her fist ignoring Zuko's question.

"Have you forgotten me so quickly?" the wolf's yellow eyes were warm yet cold as they gazed at her figure, "Kara."

"Don't call me that!" she hissed, "You don't call me that."

Her hands went up to her head, she gripped tightly as if she just remembered something so heart breaking that it made her head ache at the pet name that the wolf had used.

"What's wrong?" Zuko asked taking a step toward her.

The wolf jerked his head around, and with a ferrous growl, "STAY BACK!"

Both the canine and the prince watched as she slid back to the ground repeating as she did so "Don't call me Kara."

The wolf stopped growling, trotted to her, nuzzled her face, then in an apologetic tone replied, "You don't remember me do you?"

Lifting her tear-streaked face, she answered, "How am I suppose to remember you when I don't even know you?"

While wolf was distracted with the weeping Katara, Zuko decided that it would be a good time to attack; he formed two fireballs in his hands and yelled, "Get down!"

Once she had, he threw his attack at the beast watching, frustrated, as it dodge another one of his attacks giving Katara enough time to run to the aimless prince. When she was beside him he attacked with all he had sending several of his strongest advances at it. The wolf ran at his blind side, he jerked around just in time to see Katara grab it with her water whip, slinging the wolf back across the meadow. It jumped up as they attack some more dodging Zuko's fire and stopping Katara's water with ease and even so much as grace.

It stood across from them it's eyes flashing crimson, "I didn't want to have to do this but you leave me no choice."

From behind them rose a great water serpent; it enclosed Zuko in water by the back of his unsuspecting head, jerking him into the water.

_I can't breath!_ He screamed in his mind out of panic.

"Let him go!" Katara yelled sending icy razor blades at the wolf.

"Have you forgotten who he is? Who his people are?!"

"Shut up!" she sent more of her frozen attack desperately wanting to save her own savior before he drowned.

The wolf glanced at her, and then melted into a puddle of water, just as quickly as the wolf vanished and a sixteen-year-old boy appeared. The boy looked at Katara, as she stared at him her mouth ajar, her eyes wide with shock and her water splashed to the ground as Zuko clawed the water before passing out from the lack of air.

"Caine?"


	7. Chapter Seven

_**Note: **I'm really considering tricking out my car; it's an Oldsmobile Achieva and I'm seriously considering doing it just because._

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the Avatar: Last Airbender characters or the story line._

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Chapter Seven

The once yellowed eyed, ebony wolf was now a young man who could even be described as handsome; he was tall with the same skin tone, eyes, and hair of a South Pole water bender.

"Caine?" she repeated startled; her feelings dominated with chaos and confusion.

"Its me," he responded calmly.

"No, it can't be," she protested, "Your dead!"

"No, I'm alive," he said, and then added, " Why, do you want me dead?"

"No, of course not," she gasped, "Caine you have to let him go!"

Caine's eyes flashed dangerously, "No."

"You have to! He saved my life, I have to return the favor!"

"Why? He's noting but a killer!" He increased the amount of water the serpent had been made of.

She tried to bend the water so that it would go back to its natural form, but all she managed to do was add more to the serpent increasing it's power.

"Stop it now!" she commanded.

"I'm a stronger bender than you," he informed her with a smirk.

"Caine!" her voice was furious as well as pleading.

"Fine," he responded giving into her command about releasing the nearly drowned prince.

The serpent crashed back into the pool as Zuko crashed onto the bank, sputtering up water, and gasping for air. Kneeling down beside him, Katara helped the prince sit up as the last bit of the water in his lungs was coughed up. Noticing the man in front of him, he demanded, "Who are you?"

"His name is Caine," Katara answered for him.

"Where did the wolf go?" he asked unable to remember what had happened, with his head aching from the lack of oxygen to his brain.

"No where," Caine replied with hatred in his voice for the fire bender.

Zuko's amber eyes met Caine's sapphire ones their hatred for each other equally matched; then he noticed it a tiny scar on Caine's lips. His eyes narrowed darkly.

"Where is he?" flames tickled the tips of his fingers, aggression boiling in his chest.

"Caine is the wolf," Katara answered once again, helping him to his feet, "He can change his form."

"How?" the flames crept up his fingers; _I don't like his_, he thought, his eyes shifting as if expecting an unknown attack.

"Yeah, Caine, how do you do that?" Katara repeated stepping away from Zuko's flame engulfed arms.

Water swirled around Caine's arms, "I wont tell a fire scum like YOU!"

"Funny," Zuko worded his concerns, "How someone last night with your build, and with that same scar came into our camp, and threatened my life as well as hers."

"What are you saying, Caine wasn't…? No…he couldn't be…could he?" she looked at Caine, "You didn't…did you?"

"Are you really going to believe a fire bender?" Caine demanded pointing a finger at Zuko.

"Katara listen," Zuko turn to her, his eyes determined to make his point, "If he can change his shape then he might not even be your friend."

"Don't listen to him, Kara!"

"Didn't you say your friend died when you were seven and he was eight? He obliviously isn't eight," he argued further seeing the doubt in his eyes.

"He's right," she told Caine, her eyes filled with anger, "Caine was eight and your at least sixteen and on top of that you're a shape shifter, there isn't any telling who or what you really are."

"No they didn't kill me!" the false Caine insisted, "They took me along with six other boys to the general as slaves! He's the lair!"

Zuko felt his body being pushed back by a water bender attack knocking the air once more out of his lungs; _If I keep this up I'll die of suffocation_, he decided as his back slammed into the old oak tree. Before Katara was able to get to him a sheet of razor water cut her off; she barely had time to swerve to keep from hitting it.

"Fine, if what you say is true then who were the boys?" her voice was urgent.

"Haiku, Zane, Kayo, Chang, and Maim."

The fire prince could no longer feel his arm due to the dog bite, and his body fought every move he made as he stumbled back up to his feet, "He could still be lying."

"No," she cut him off, "They really did go missing; we always assumed they were taken but when the men went to find the fire benders who had attacked us, they vanished."

"I don't trust him," Zuko remained adamant about Caine.

"What do you know, fire trash?"

"What's wrong?" Zuko asked Katara, noticing that she was rubbing her neck uncomfortably.

"My neck," she said in a daze, "it-"

They watched as she fell to the ground letting a piercing howl escape from her lips as both her hands gripped her neck tightly.

"Katara, what is it?" Zuko inquired running toward her, but was cut off by a wave of water.

"Get away from her!"

Zuko, in a burst of energy, ran to her before Caine could stop him, moving her hand away from her neck he saw what he had expected, "She needs a healer."

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER!?"

"NOTHING! This is a death kiss curse only a spirit can cast it. Now come ON!"

"Fine! I'll take her to a healer."

No, I'm coming," he picked Katara up gently, ignoring the pain in his arm; he wasn't willing to let Caine see how badly he was hurt nor willing to let Caine be alone with her.

"NO!"

"We don't have time to argue!"

"Fine," Caine spat at him with immeasurable disgust, "but keep in mind I will kill you once she is safe."

"That makes two of you," Zuko responded sarcastically; his tone like a cold night in winter.

They entered the woods with an irritated Caine in front and a worried, bleeding, Zuko in the rear caring the now passed out Katara in his strong, yet injured arms. He despised the woods with a passion because the voice always came back to him when he entered them, but he knew he had no choice about the path that lead to the healer.

_She will leave you now_, the voice laughed, _she'll go with him, oh yes, oh yes she will, and you'll be all alone like us. Fire and water do not belong together, oh no they don't. Either fire will evaporate water or water exstinguishes fire. They can't live together for destroying each other._

"Shut up!" Zuko hissed, ignoring the compelling thought of running.

"They wont," Caine, said icily, moving a low, leafy branch out of his way.

"Watch it!" he growled stepping over a fallen branch; he wanted so badly to tell Caine knew the truth, to gloat, but knew better of it. His instincts foreshadowed that something was going to happen and the least Caine knew he knew, the better.

"The trees bring out our inner most fears," Caine explained in an even icier voice, and then added, "If it hadn't been for Kara I would have killed you."

"Heh, whatever," he could hear a large waterfall in the distance.

"If our village hadn't been attacked she would have been my wife," he said, and then stopped suddenly, "We were betrothed."

He didn't know what to that, what could he say? One thing he knew for sure, he didn't like Caine and didn't trust him, even if Katara did.

"When she is well again we will wed and you will die."

He looked down at the sleeping girl in his arms, her neck consumed by spider like ebony threads being emitted by a circle where the spirit had kissed her, "You marrying her isn't any of my business, but if you want to kill me you will have to do better than idle threats."

They began to walk again, "They won't seem so idle when you're dead."

Caine lead him out of the forest and into a rather large city at the base of the volcano and a massive waterfall to the back right of the city. Several people of the city either stopped to make casual chat with their leader or to simply, and rudely, stare at the new comers. A small boy, who couldn't have been more than four years old, pointed a grubby finger at Zuko, and happily commented, "Fi-fi!"


	8. Chapter Eight

_**Note: **Sorry that I didn't update sooner but I couldn't get Chapter Eight right until now and I didn't want to post something that I didn't like._

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the Avatar: Last Airbender characters or the story line._

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Chapter Eight

"Fi-fi," the little boy repeated pointing to a severe burn on his chubby leg.

Zuko's eyes widened, the boy couldn't have been older than six.

"His name is Jade," Caine informed him icily, "Your soldiers killed his family and burned him, a child."

Jade pulled on Zuko's pants leg; he looked down to see the boy's arms out stretched beckoning Zuko to pick him up, "No, now go away."

Jade whimpered, opening and closing his chubby little hands, small tears swelling at the base of his eyes.

"No," Zuko hissed at the six year old; his arms now lost all feeling and were still slightly bleeding.

Jade followed Zuko and Caine into a rather large hut, clinging to the fire prince's leg adamantly. The hut had two rooms to it: the first, and the one they currently stood in now, was huge with three stone tables embellished with blue silk sheets and blue pillows. The walls were covered with shelves filled with all kinds of different herbs; the only other piece of furniture was a large golden chest in the far right corner of the room. Next to the chest was a door, or what Zuko could only assume to be a door, made of long strings of glass beads all shapes and sizes.

"Laia!" Caine's voice boomed; Jade gripped Zuko's pants tighter, "Put Kara here."

Struggling to put Katara on the middle table, not only due to his injury, but also now due to the child, he mumbled to the quivering Jade, "Come on."

"Laia!" Caine repeated.

Once Katara was safely on the table, exhausted, Zuko slid to the floor just as a very mysterious female voice came from behind the beads, "Ah, Caine back so soon?"

Jade climbed in the fire bender's lap clumsily, accidentally hitting Zuko's bitten arm; Zuko, out of pain, sucked in the air around his mouth sharply through his teeth. If he had been younger he would have knocked the child out of his lap, but his days as a fugitive with his Uncle Iroh had softened him.

Jade looked at him with big soft green eyes, questioningly, at the sound he had made; _now I get it_, Zuko thought, _what a suitable name for a child with such bright green eyes._

Placing his hand on the child's chestnut brown hair, he tried to give the child a comforting smile.

"Laia-" Caine was cut off.

"You want me to heal your friend, do you not?" the young woman called Laia questioned as she came into the room, just as she shifted the glass beads Zuko notice a pair of brown boots sticking off a bed.

"Stop reading my mind!" Caine commanded, "and yes."

Laia's abnormal, deep purple eyes meet Zuko's amber ones sending a shiver down his back.

"Interesting," she hissed, her long silver hair flowing behind her, kneeling beside Zuko she touched the bite marks gently, "What is a fire bender like yourself doing here?"

Zuko flinched when her cold yet surprisingly soft hands touched the tender flesh on his arm; he could feel Jade wiggling in his lap. Laia let go of his arm as a cool feeling swept over his body, looking down at the boy in his lap she said, "Jade you surprise me, normally you would never become so close with someone, especially a fire bender let alone their prince, so fast. Perhaps you know something I do not?"

Jade smiled.

"Ah, so you remain mute to all but him?" Laia asked smiling back.

_Mute?_

"Laia she needs your help more than him," Caine protested.

"Yes, I'm aware of her condition, Caine," Laia rose to her feet and walked to the stone table that Katara was currently lying on.

Zuko glanced down at his arm, letting out a slight gasp; the injury he had sustained was now gone with no signs of it ever being there but the dried blood.

Reading his mind Laia said, "Yes I healed you."

"Why?" he couldn't understand why a refugee that his nation had created would help him.

"The answers you seek," she informed him as she stood over Katara, "will come in time."

"In time?"

Laia's hands hovered over Katara's neck, the air glowing a pale white, she clicked her tongue.

"She has been cursed with the Death Kiss, and her ribs have severe bruising on the bones."

Caine turned to Zuko, "What did you do?"

Caine's base tone made Jade shrink in Zuko's lap.

"Watch your tone," Zuko warned coldly; Jade buried his face in Zuko's chest.

"Enough," Laia snapped holding up her hands, "Her ribs were injured by falling off a massive creature into the ocean. As far as payment-"

"Payment?" Caine repeated furiously.

"Nothing in life nor in death is free, you of all should know that."

"What do you want?" Zuko inquired stroking Jade's hair gently trying to soothe him.

"Her tribal necklace."

The room became quiet, all eyes focused on the healer.


	9. Chapter Nine

_**Note: **I wont be able to update on Thursday, which in case anyone hasn't notice I update just about every Tuesday and Thursday, because my sisters are receiving awards. Half of me is happy for them but I'm dreading it considering the fact that it will be the first time my mom and dad have been in the same room since the divorce!!! Well, anyways on with the story, and does anyone know when the third season of Avatar comes on?_

_**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the Avatar: the Last Airbender characters or the story line._

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Chapter Nine

"What?" Caine's voice was calm, but also filled with wrath.

"You heard me," Laia informed him, noticing the piercing look from Jade, she said to him, "Now Jade don't look at me like that."

Jade shook his small head, then stuck his tongue out at her afterwards he buried his face in Zuko's shirt, as most often small children do.

"JADE!" Laia exclaimed, "Now stop that."

"You can't have it, pick something else," Zuko, informed her rising to his feet while holding Jade, "That necklace, seems to be very important to her."

"I will not," Laia remained adamant, "You may think on it if you wish, but she hasn't much time."

Reaching over, Caine took the necklace from the Katara's neck, and threw it at Laia, who caught it in mid-air.

"What are you doing?" Zuko hissed, he always hated an automaton; _I guess, _he thought bitterly, _I could always steal it back._

Just as Caine said something to him about shutting his mouth, a female voice boomed inside his mind: _You will not steal it back._

Startled he nearly dropped Jade who squealed in surprise, _who said that?_

"I did," Laia announced out loud, "Now I will heal her, if there are no other plans of cheating me out of my payment?"

This question was directed at Zuko, who swallowed some air and nodded. Holding her small petite hands over Katara's heart, her eyes became serious. The air all around Katara and herself began to glow a pale white; the prince was transfixed, never seeing something so strange, and yet, in its strangeness, beautiful. The sky outside was turning scarlet from the sun dipping behind the trees as if shouting that dusk was here and night soon after. Laia screamed as the ebony circle on Katara's neck allowed black lightening bolts to be emitted sending the healer across the room into the shelves behind her, busting several of the bottles.

Zuko allowed Jade to slide down him to the ground, just as his feet hit the floor; he was beside Laia gently nudging her arm; Caine, whose voice seemed steady as if nothing had happened, asked, "What just happened?"

Helping Laia to her feet, Zuko felt his exhaustion vanishing.

"Jade," she laughed grateful of the help now that her energy had been used almost all the way up, "I'm fine."

When she was seated on the wooden chest, he had noticed earlier she said, "The curse is to strong for me to break but I managed to stop it from spreading for now."

"For now?"

"Caine," Laia said, "Take her out of here I haven't the strength to heal her; I will try in the morning."

Without argument Caine took Katara in his arms and began to walk out the hut, when Zuko tried to follow Laia said, "No, you stay."

Turning back to the healer, whose lap Jade occupied now, he demanded, "Why do I have to stay?"

"I see your fate my lost prince," she paused, trying to find the right words, "And it can go of two ways."

"What are you talking about?" he felt his stomach turning into knots afraid of what she might tell him.

"I know you know what I am talking about; your uncle has tried several times to warn you. Yes, I know of him, and of your father, of everything else. I must warn you Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation that your search is futile."

"You don't know what you're talking about," he said through clenched teeth, "You don't know anything!"

"Hush and listen," she stopped him, "You can't regain something that you never had, but it is your choice. If your wish is to give your father the avatar, then if it is right, do it, but if you're at conflict with yourself, which I sense you are, then don't."

"I'm not at conflict with myself!" he yelled at her, "I know who I am and what I want!"

"Do you?" she asked as Jade slipped off her lap and onto the floor, "Then if you know who you are and what you want why did you save the female water bender, Katara?

The child waddle across the room to Zuko beckoning for the fire bender to pick him up; Zuko yelled, "She is merely bait so I can catch the Avatar!"

Laia's voice remained calm, "No, you and I know better than that don't we?"

He said nothing to this ignoring the child's whimpers and stomping feet.

"You saved her because of guilt, but this is not why I asked you stay back from following Caine."

"Then why did you?"

Laia stood up now picking up the now sobbing Jade, rocking him back and forth, she said, "To warn you that the spirit of this island will come for you in one night for your head in the day you are safe but from dusk to dawn your life is in most peril."

"Why are you helping me?" he couldn't help but be suspicious of her now.

"Because I have faith in you as so many others do, and I know you will chose the right way and not the wrong."

"How can you be sure?"

She smiled at him and said, "I'm physic, I know a lot, and by the way you are going to meet someone very important soon so listen to what she has to tell you."

Jade was now asleep in her arms.

"Who will I meet?"

"I can't tell you that, now I must rest, so if you please…"

Zuko understood her hint for him to leave and did so his mind racing with questions; _I know who I am,_ he reassured himself, _and I know what has to be done. I don't feel guilty do I? No…no I have nothing to feel guilt over._

He walked down the street, which was now empty due to the fact that it was night; he saw Caine entering a small hut caring food. By the time he reached the hut he could hear laughter coming from inside. He heard Katara's voice say, "You remember the time you and Sokka ate all the ice berries and got stomach aches?"

_She must have not noticed her necklace is gone,_ he thought as he heard Caine reply, "Yeah, and Gran Gran had to feed us sage and rosemary with lavender to stop us from throwing up."

Katara laughed, "Yeah, Mom was still alive then."

"Kara, why do you insist on being around that stupid fire bender?"

Not wanting to hear her response, Zuko walked into the woods; _she's better off without me._

_We agree_, the trees intruded in his thoughts, _you belong with us._

"Maybe so," he said in defeat. _What was the point in fighting them when they're probably right?_

"Zuko!" a voice snapped sounding as if all around him; at first he thought he had imagined it but then it said, "Don't ever think such thoughts!"

_She and he sat on the bank of the royal pond in the palace's courtyard feeding the tiny turtle ducks._

_"Wanna see how Azula feeds turtle ducks?" he had asked her as he threw the bread in the pond hitting one of the baby ducklings…_

He stopped, flames encircled his body, and for an instance he thought it was her; when the voice didn't come again he continued to walk, the flames still around him. A few minutes later the voice came again, "Young man!"

"_Zuko!" she exclaimed in surprise, "Why would you do that?"_

_He was unable to reply…_

Tears of anger nearly fell down his cheeks, but he held them back, he had enough of this island and its trees, "Whose there?"

_The mother duck attacked his foot; he howled in pain kicking it off of him, he inquired in shock, "Why did she do that?"_

_She pulled him into a hug, and replied, "Because that's what mothers do…"_

In the distance stood a figure that at first seemed unfamiliar but as he came closer to it; he realized it was a female. Slowing his pace, he was able to conclude that the woman was wearing fire nation cloths, and that her long flowing hair seemed so familiar he instantly became angered, "Who are you?"

_She woke him up in the middle of the night her face worried and yet still warm full of love and affection._

_"Zuko wake up, honey wake up…"_

The woman turned her head so that he could see her face.

"_Mom…? What's going on…?"_

"_Promise me that you'll always remember who you are…"_

She smiled at him tears in her amber eyes.

"_What? Why?"_

"_Promise!" she shook him urgently…_

"Zuko, darling it's me."

_He nodded his head obediently, and fell back to sleep as she left the room…_

"Mother?" tears fell from his eyes in shock, sorrow, grief, and happiness.


	10. Chapter Ten

_**Note: **Sorry but this chapter is going to be short because the next chapter is my climax and it kind of goes really fast after this chapter. I hope everyone has enjoyed my story so far I really wish I would get more reviews for it. Also, I was just wandering, do you, as my readers, think that each chapter title should be a line from a poem? Because that's the way I'm doing my Naruto story and I was just wandering._

_**Disclaimer: **I don't any of the Avatar: Last Airbender characters or the story line._

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Chapter Ten

Zuko sat across from his mother, the silence looming as the crickets, outside the large cave they were in, chirped cheerfully singing to all those in hearing distance. The unspoken words between mother and son lay in the air as if a lingering storm cloud waiting to release the tension and just rain. Then, just as rain pours from the heavens to nourish the hearth below, his words came, "What happened to you? Why are you here? Have you been here long? Why did you-"

"Zuko," his mother said calmly and patiently with the grace of a lady, "One question at a time, please."

He became quiet again, the song of the crickets cutting through the air once more.

She spoke first, "How have you been since I have been away?"

"Fine, I guess."

"Your hair different than the way you had it when you were a boy, but then, that's expected."

"Yes," he agreed, he could feel the question coming it was just a matter of time now.

"Your eyes are different as well," she stated, her voice holding a worried undertone.

_Here it comes_, he thought as the fear and shame swelled in his breast.

"What happened to your left eye?" she sounded upset as she said this.

His head hung low now, and there it was, the question. He didn't answer her, what could her say? The truth? The truth was too painful to talk about especially to her. All his life, she had protected him, not only had he shamed and failed his father, he had failed her as well. _Its amazing how quickly words can destroy a family_, he thought bitterly.

"Zuko," she said again only more forcefully, "What happened to your eye?"

He still said nothing the shame of the event of his past circulating through his body; it was long embedded in his bones and etched into his soul as if carved into stone. He wouldn't look at her and he could tell that she was growing more and more upset as the minutes passed; she would mostly likely get her answer out of him, but not without a fight.

She cleared her throat, "I am still your mother and that means you have to listen to me. Now I'll ask you one more time: how did you burn your eye?"

"I was training," he lied, "And let my guard down."

"Don't lie to me!" he could tell she was beyond upset and moved to an unmeasured worry.

"I'm not," he managed to get the words out but they were so low he would have been surprised if she had heard him.

"Did your father do it?" she had figured him out, "Are you protecting him?"

"No," he couldn't even look at her, which was probably the reason why she didn't believe him.

"He did didn't he?" she had figured him out and was not wavering from her correct answer even though he still denied it.

"No," he insisted, "I told you it was an accident it had nothing to do with Father."

"Look at me," she commanded him, her voice icy.

He did as his mother commanded.

"He didn't-"

She cut him off, "He will receive what is coming to him, I promise you that."

"What? No! It was my…I barraged in on a…Uncle warned me but I didn't listen…I couldn't hold my tongue…I shamed him and you!"

"No," she shook her head slightly, "You have never ever shamed me and can never shame me; your father…he…"

She stopped, lost for words and unsure of what exactly to say.

"What is this island?" he asked, he couldn't handle the discussion that was unavoidable if they had kept up the conversation they were having. In his heart, he knew what she was going to tell him, as his uncle had so often had tried, and was still not ready to here those words. He had to have hope that maybe, just maybe he was in his father's heart and that his father really did care whether he was alive or dead.

"That is why I have come to you," she said recognizing the fact that he still wasn't ready to here those words that he knew to be true, "This island isn't as it appears to be."

He simply nodded his head, grateful that she had allowed him to change the subject.

"In fact, it is a tome. You see long ago before your grandfather was ever born, before the first avatar was ever created, a man made a deal with a fire demon called Faer. He told Faer that if he gave him the ability to bend flames that in return he would give the god his only daughter Shi. The demon agreed, for he was seeking out a bride to bare his children anyway, so he gave the man the power over fire. The man grew very powerful and had soon built him a strong, and powerful empire; but when it came time to hold up his end of the deal, instead of giving up his daughter as he promised he slayed the demon, freeing himself and his daughter from his debt."

"What does this myth of our nation's birth have to do with this island?"

"Well, it's not a myth but actually true events hidden away from the public."

"Why is it hidden?"

"Mainly because of the fact that the first fire lord lied, cheated, and stole to get out of his debt with the demon instead of holding it up with honor."

"Then what does it have to do with this island?"

"Well," she continued, "As Faer was dieing vowed to take his revenge, so he stole the man's daughter as he slipped into hell, bringing Shi with him. But neither Shi's father nor the demon knew that she was in love so when she was stolen and sent to hell she was separated from true love breaking not only her heart but also his. Their pain was so intense from loosing their love one that his tears created a small island and hers created the ocean to protect their island thus through their separation this island was born. It is a haven, Zuko, for all of those whom the fire lord has killed."


	11. Chapter Eleven

_**Note: **Thank you for all the reviews and I'm sorry that some of my words are misspelled and there is no excuse for that considering that the computer I use has spell check. Well I was going to have this chapter be longer than my last but I don't think its going to be which makes me sad because I really wanted to reach my climax but there is no doubt that the next chapter will be long and full of action._

_**Disclaimer: **I don't any of the Avatar: Last Airbender characters or the story line._

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Chapter Eleven

"What do you mean killed?" he could barely get the words out; they were clinging to his throat for he knew what she would say next.

"Everyone on this island with the exception of you and your friend are dead," she said more clearly.

He was on his feet now, the information echoing inside his head, and leaking slowly throughout his body; _if everyone on this island is dead then that means_, he couldn't even allow himself to finish the thought as the realizations set in.

"Don't give me that look Zuko," she said as a small smile stretched across her ruby lips, "Death happens, it is apart of war and it is apart of life."

"Yeah but," then another realization set in, a realization that made his legs become weak, "Wait what do you mean everyone the fire lord has killed comes here? Does that mean…?"

She nodded her head.

"I don't understand," his mind and heart were now in a panic, which seemed at that moment to be out of control. If what she is saying is true, then Grandfather must have, there was another thought that he couldn't seem to allow himself to finish. The sound of thunder crackled across the sky, "What happened to you? Why did Grandfather-"

She stopped him once again, "Listen to me we don't have time for this particular talk."

"What are you talking about? We have plenty of time to-"

"No we don't; you and your friend are in trouble."

"She's not my friend," he corrected her.

She continued on ignoring his correction as the smell of rain filled the air making it feel even more damp in the cave, "The spirit of this island plans to kill you and use the water bender, Katara I believe was her name, to break the curse of this island."

"What curse?"

"We are all ghosts," she explained, "That means we are all restless, a restlessness that can't be cured. We all desire for our souls to be put to rest but the island's curse will not allow it, so we linger. We are neither fully dead and yet we are the farthest thing from life. We can neither eat nor sleep or do other earthly things that we did in our earthly life. It is a horrible way to exist and we all yearn to be free of it."

"What does it have to do with us?"

"When Shi and her lover created this island, they, through their pain made it this way by mistake, realizing her error Shi found away to undo the curse, or at least that is the myth."

Zuko was now back on the ground, listening intensely to what his mother was telling him.

"Most of us on this island believe this myth is nothing but myth, but…"

"But what?"

"It is believed that when two enemies came to this island with hate in their hearts, they will break the curse."

"How?"

"It is believed that the male of the two enemies must willingly sacrifice himself into the volcano for the female, and in return the female must cry."

"Why does she have to cry?" he seemed shock by the why the curse had to be broken, "And why do the two people have to be enemies?"

"Because," she continued as the rain pelted the ground outside, "Shi believed that love conquered all including hate, and the female must cry because it proves that she loved the male sacrifice. Her tears are believed to purify the volcano or at least that's what the legend says."

"What does that have to do with me and the water bender?" he didn't like where this conversation was going either.

"The spirit of the island believes that the two of you will break the curse."

"That's insane," his voice was low and his head was bent down in a way that made dark shadows cast over his face; they or at least he would need a fire soon; the sky outside the cave was growing darker and the rain was falling harder.

"The spirit's belief or you and her in love?" in her voice he could sense a bit of curiosity as well as something else, something that made him believe that she knew something he didn't.

"Both," he answered, he began to sweat some from his nerves; his stomach felt as if someone had ripped it out of his body, tied it into knots, and then shoved it back down his throat.

She smiled at him and once again he had the feeling that she knew something that he didn't, "Perhaps your right about the spirit's belief however he will still come for you as well as her."

He said nothing.

"You have to go to her."

Still he said nothing.

"Zuko, you have to protect her; he might become desperate and kill her."

"She has Caine to look out for her she doesn't need me."

"Caine?" the way she had asked made him look up to find that her eyes were wide in shock, "She's with Caine?"

"Yes," he hesitated some at her reaction, "After Laia healed her he took her to his hut, why?"

"Laia? Jade's mother?" she looked even more shocked.

It was his turn to be surprised, "Laia is Jade's mother?"

His mother was now on her feet, "What did Laia say to you?"

"I don't-something about the spirit and something about Jade clinging to me all the time," he answered bewildered.

"Jade clung to you?"

He nodded his head, "But what does that have to do with anything?"

"Did he let you pick him up?" her voice was urgent.

"Yes, in fact, he didn't even want me to put him down, but what does that have to do with anything?"

She released a heavy sigh, "This changes everything."

"What? How does it change anything? What does it change?"

"Laia must know too, and Caine as well," she mumbled.

"Know what?"

"This isn't good," she continued to mumble darkly.

"What isn't good?" he asked impatiently.

"Jade is a very special boy," she began, "He isn't like the rest of us."

The wind started howling outside the cave, and Zuko could hear the sounds of snapping branches.

"What's so special about him?"

"He is a very special boy," she repeated, and then added, "You must get to Katara as soon as the rain stops."

"But I don't understand," he stated.

"I think," she said ignoring him, "It would be better if you go tonight."

"Tonight?"

"Yes."

"But I just got to see you again after so long," he really didn't want to leave her; the little boy inside him cried out not to afraid she would leave once more, only this time he would never see her again.

"This has become larger than just you and me, Zuko," she said to him in her motherly tone, "Katara is in danger and you have to save her."

"I don't have to do anything," his anger and fear were both fixing into a solid feeling that made him retaliate against her.

"Zuko listen to me, you have to go get her and bring her back to this cave."

"Why? She's safe with Caine."

"No she isn't."

"Why?"

"Because Caine is the spirit of the island."


	12. Chapter Twelve

_**Note: **I'm so very sorry that my grammar is so bad; I'm not even kidding! What kind of writer has bad grammatical errors? But can I just say to BlaznXrapture I really appreciate your review but when you were talking about the exquisites thing it was a misspelling because I'm dumb, but I really like that whole water makes fire beautiful I might use it. However, I'm glad that my reviewers, which I hope are you who are reading this, gave me such good advice! Thank you so much and keep those reviews! Also since I'm half way through this story and only have nine more chapters left a question has come to my attention: should I create a sequel? Let me know._

_**Disclaimer: **I don't any of the Avatar: Last Airbender characters or the story line._

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Chapter Twelve

The news that Caine was the spirit of the island really didn't come that much of a surprise to Zuko, after all, both of them had the same scar on their lips. What surprised him and even went so far as troubled him deeply was that Caine could become so desperate that he might slay the one he claimed to call friend. He knew very well that if his mother believed Caine might do something like that then it was probably the case; after all it was his mother who had faith in all people, even the worst kind. But even so was it possible for him to commit such an act especially to someone he claimed to love?

Noticing that her son had become quiet, Zuko's mother said, "Zuko are you listening to me?"

But he wasn't- his mind wasn't on her nor was it on her lecture, but that one possibility that Caine might kill _her_.

_Why do I care? _He practically yelled in his head, _she doesn't need my help or me she's made that plain on more than one occasion._

But still something inside his body whispered to save her.

"ZUKO!"

His mother brought him back to reality, "Huh?"

"Did you hear me?"

"Hear about what?"

"You have to save that girl!" she commanded him, almost as if she had made up his mind for him, which was very possible.

"She doesn't want my help!" he was becoming irritated with his mother; he knew that Katara would probably need his help, and he knew that his mother wanted him to help her, but he also knew that if he did help Katara that he would never be able to return home freely. And that's what was keeping him from going to her aid; something inside him was nagging that if he helped her all his struggles to return would be in vain.

Sensing his thoughts his mother said, "Zuko you listen to me and you listen to me well your father is never going to let you come home freely; trust me and your uncle on this because we have know Ozai longer than you or your sister."

"You don't know that," he couldn't believe that his mother was telling him something so painful.

"Yes I do and I know you do as well," she paused, "Your old enough to face the truth now that you've become a man, and the truth is your father doesn't want you."

"Yes he does," he whispered but he knew it was the truth; he had always known it was the truth, "Yes he does."

"No he doesn't and now its time for you to choose your plan of action," he looked up at her, "Will you continue to try and win a futile battle for your father's affections or will you do your people right and the people of the world right and help the avatar and his friends complete their journey?"

"What are you talking about? Then Father will never allow me to come home."

Her voice had become softer now at her son's continuous denials, "He will never let you come home."

"YOU DON'T KNOW THAT!" he yelled at her clinging to a false hope that wasn't there, "I will fulfill my destiny by capturing the avatar and taking back my throne."

"How do you know that is your destiny?" her voice remained calm and even, "Can't your destiny be also, to help the avatar gain peace and serenity? To stop this war that only destroys happy homes and smiling faces? Isn't it possible that your destiny is to teach the avatar to fire bend so that needless killing can end? Isn't it possible that your destiny is to take your throne back through the aid of the avatar? Why must your father have to give it to you?"

"Because that's how it suppose to be!"

"But he will not give it to you! He never planned to give it to you!" she sighed and painfully continued, "He had always planned to give it up to Azula it was just a matter of time!"

Tears came into his eyes blurring his vision; they weren't out of self-pity but out of relief; his voice shook as he said, "You know that for sure?"

His mother nodded her head her eyes also filling with tears at her son's final release of his father.

"How come you never told me?"

"I never had the chance."

It became quiet again; the only sound was the rain-washing away all the guilt, lies, and false hopes. Zuko began to walk to the entrance of the cave, but still no words were spoken they both knew what he was going to do. He was half way out side when he said, with rain droplets racing each other down his cheek- mixing in with his tears, "Maybe my destiny isn't what I thought it was after all."

"Or maybe it just isn't suppose to happen the way you thought it was."

He nodded his head and began to walk back toward the village, but for once the trees didn't speak. He didn't know why and really didn't care why. Something new had happened to him and a new feeling was rising within him making the young prince feel more alive than ever before. The questions no longer stood in his path threatening to trip him as he walked but instead were gone.

He reached the village but only one person was outside, the very same person he was coming to get. He walked up to her, but remained quiet, watching her as she danced in the rain. She was bending the water droplets so that they swirled around her small body as she swayed to the left and then to the right; he noticed, that for the second time, she had taken his breath away.

When she was done he tapped her shoulder to gain her attention; she jerked around their eyes meeting but each having a different message.

"What are you doing here?" she snapped at him her hatred clear through the rains mists.

He was taken back; when they had last spoke they had been friends, but now she had regained her hatred for him. Her new attitude toward him was even harsher than before they had acquired what now seemed their temporary friendship and that sent him into a deep depression making unable to answer her.

"WELL?" she demanded bitterly.

"Why are you acting this why?" he managed to get out through all his confusion.

"What do you mean why am I acting this way?" she yelled through her teeth.

He took a step back; his newfound feelings of hope shattering into tiny little shards.

"This is why!" she pointed to her neck where the black circle was that Caine had put on her.

"The circle?" he became furious, his voice rose just above his normal talking level, "You KNOW I didn't do that!"

"NO!" she roared at him, "My necklace where is it?!"

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? I DON'T HAVE YOUR NECKLACE!"

She formed an icicle and was prepared to throw it at him, "I know you have it and I want it back right now!"

"But I don't have it!" he defended himself.

"Then why did you run away last night!?"

He ignored her question, "Who told you I have it?!"

"Caine!"

He stopped yelling and let out a low growl, "Katara there is something I have to tell you about Caine."


	13. Chapter Thirteen

_**Note:**__ Sorry I haven't written in a long, long, long time but I've had a bad month. Well one good thing is that tomorrow I'll be 16!!! I can't wait!_

_**Disclaimer: **__I do not own Avatar: Last Airbender or the characters._

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Chapter Thirteen

"No more LIES!" she screamed at him and he could see the desperation in her indigo eyes.

_Is it possible she wants to believe me?_ he remained motionless unable to determine the source of her desperation.

Water swirled around her body, the droplets each giving off their own distinct glow that made them almost seem like tiny diamonds floating in the air, like the stars.

He was finally able to gain his voice back, "Tell THAT to the person who has been doing to lying!"

She pointed her index finger at him, declaring coldly, "I am."

"No you aren't," he argued back taking a step forward.

"STAY BACK!" she growled slinging the razor sharp water whip she had bended by using the raindrops at him aiming for one good hit.

Jumping back so that he was now out of her reach he yelled, "Don't be stupid why would I take your necklace."

He heard her let out a snarl that was almost the equivalent to the roaring of a great beast, and waited for a response but none came. She just glared at him for a few minutes then turned around as if to leave.

But she didn't.

He was aware that the water bender hardly ever knew when to give up she had proven that many times prior to this but still he had let his guard down.

That was his mistake.

_What she doing?_

He move forward his digression and caution vanishing with each footstep. Without warning or hesitation she turned around a small ice dagger firmly gripped in her right palm. She struck his left side cutting the skin beneath his shirt and tearing the muscles beneath the skin.

He could feel his body growing cold with each minute.

_I never thought she was a killer_, his thoughts seemed to collide making it hard for him to think let alone take any other action, _A warrior yes, but doing something like this…_

His vision began to darken around the edges and everything seemed to be off as if some kind dream, but it wasn't a dream. The pain was now becoming unbearable as the frozen blade was twisted sharply and pulled out of him.

Then the sound of chuckling pierced his ears.

_Caine?_

The chuckling metamorphed from a females voice to a male's voice.

Grabbing the area of his side where Caine had stabbed him, his body bent over in pain. Taking what little strength his body was able to release he looked up into the cold, cerulean eyes of the one who had pretended to be his companion. He tried to call the flames that he bended, but his efforts were met with nothing.

"You," he hissed as blood oozed out the left side of his mouth and dripping down his lips.

Caine jerked his head up by the hair so that they could see eye to eye without anyone having to look up or down, "Don't be so surprised fire prince after all we both know Kara doesn't have what it takes to do something like this."

Zuko allowed his honey eyes to hold no hatred back as he said through quivering lips caused by the rough movement place onto him by Caine, "What did you do to her?"

Caine laughed caused a series of sharp throbbing to be sent up and down the prince's body, "Nothing much, but then you'll see. The truth is as much as I would like to kill you here and now I can't."

Zuko said nothing the dark edges around his vision advancing some from their outer edges.

Continuing Caine said, "I know you know who I am and why I need you."

"W-w-what are you talking about?" his voice was softer now as the promise of darkness became more and more evident with each second.

"Laia and your mother have told you everything; I know they have," he jerked the other boy's head some waking him some.

"And how," the words he was looking for were all of a sudden hard to find, "Do you know that?"

I can barely put words together and my vision… 

"There are ways to make even the spirits to talk especially through the usage of their children. Did you know that child spirits are the easiest to harm?"

_Jade…_

"Honestly, you'd at least think a seer would see something like this coming, oh well."

_Laia…_

"Your lucky though I couldn't seem to locate that pesky mother of yours, but no problem her location will be given to me shortly."

_Mother…_

"Poor Katara, she was so easily deceived thinking I was her former friend."

_Katara…_

Caine released the fire bender's hair allowing him to fall to the ground. As he fell, Zuko saw a bird soar across the sky his mind wishing that he could be as free as the bird. His vision went ebony as his body hit the ground and old memories flooded his dreams, more or less nightmares.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

_**Note: **__Does any ever read these notes or what?_

_**Disclaimer: **__I don't own Avatar: Last Airbender.__­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­_

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Chapter Fourteen

_Ebony blackness danced through the air with the swirls of promising gold and fiery red. In the center of the swirls was a young man wearing the traditional royal clothes of a prince to his right was a large blue dragon and to his left was an equally as large red dragon. The image of the blue dragon and the red dragon slithered around his body in a feverless battle trying to convince him that their way was the correct way._

"_Riches," the scarlet reptile hissed in his left ear her breath burning his face as she spoke._

_He clenched his fist his royal robes of crimson and amber flowing about his form as if he was underwater._

_Water, the term seemed familiar enough as if he had an unspoken duty toward it._

_The blue dragon danced around his right side it's gentle speaking for it while it's mouth remained such, "Your heart, Fire Prince, tells you other wise."_

"_Do not listen to that bubbling old fool, think of it, power," the crimson demon hissed darkly._

"_She will only lead down a path of corruption and hate, my lord," the indigo reptile warned him urgently._

_Clenching his fist, the fire wielder spoke, "The water seems familiar."_

"_What water my lord?" whispered the devious dragon nudging his cheek with her muzzle rather roughly, "There is no water here."_

"_The water," his eyes began to slowly close as his vision dimmed, "The water girl…"_

"_There is no such girl here the water benders were all wipe out ages ago by your grandfather you know that," it lied._

"_No," his eyes widen some, but the world around was hazy almost dream like, "There's girl…a water girl…"_

"_If there's such a girl then what is her name?"_

"_Her name?" the world around him was now shadow by another._

"_Your tired my prince, why not sleep and let me take over?"_

"_NO!" the cobalt dragon roared, "If she takes over then all will be lost. The girl, what is her name?"_

"_I-I-I don't know her name," the young lord stammered his eyes snapping open._

"_Remember her name," he urged, "Think my lord, think."_

"_I can't remember," he whispered his eyes now fully closed._

"_Zuko…"_

"_Who's calling me?" he asked startled his eyes reopening at the familiar voice._

"_No one, now sleep."_

"_Do not heed the scarlet dragon, follow the voice my lord," the blue dragon advised._

"_Zuko…"_

_His body began to shake violently, snapping him involuntarily awake; he could hear the female dragon screeching in protest as his body was lifted upward toward a light. Before he was thrusted through the small pool of like he heard the old dragon whisper: _

"_Goodbye my lord."_

"Zuko, wake up," Katara hissed at him her voice tainted with desperation.

_Where am I?_

The fire bender sat up his body stiff from the stone floor that he had been laying on; he stretched his arms half way still inside his dream and half way awake. Yawning, he said almost incoherently to his companion, "Where did they go?"

Even though he wasn't facing her he could tell by the tone in her voice that she was confused by his question, "They who? Laia and Jade?"

"No," he turned toward her slightly annoyed by her ignorance toward the blue and red dragons, "The dragons."

"What dragons?" the manner in which she inquired this snapped him fully out of his dream and back into reality.

He let out a low groan and then said to her, "Never mind."

The air between the two was filled with an awkward silence, neither able to look the other straight in the eye. But the thought of the green eyed child that so adamantly clang to him earlier on urged him to speak to her first, "Where are the others?"

"Jade and Laia?" she questioned surprised, it seemed, that he had spoken to her at all.

"Yeah."

_Who else could I possibly mean? But now is not the time to argue_, he thought inwardly.

"Caine took them some where but I have no idea where," she paused then hesitantly added, "Zuko I'm sorry I really…"

He didn't want to hear the rest of her apology knowing very well what ever she had to say it wouldn't matter. Not that he didn't appreciate her attempts, but at that moment it only seemed to make him feel somewhat depressed.

Deep down in the pit of his heart he had wished, not that he'd ever admit it, that she had been right about Caine. If she had been right then maybe he could have gone back to Azula's side and fought for his father, but now it was different.

Now he had to choose between an unknown future full of unknown outcomes and a life that he had always believed was to be his.

"_No he doesn't and now its time for you to choose your plan of action."_

He glanced around the cell that they were being held in as his mother's words flowed through his body entangling themselves with his blood.

"_Will you continue to try and win a futile battle for your father's affections or will you do your people right and the people of the world right and help the avatar and his friends complete their journey?"_

He glanced at the water bender whom's head currently rested on top of her knees so that her face was hidden from him; he spoke softly trying to imply to her that he wasn't mad at her, because the real person he blamed for this mess was himself, "Katara…"

"_How do you know that is your destiny?"_

She looked up at him her tan cheeks streaked with salty tears, "Do you believe in destiny?"

_Can't your destiny be also, to help the avatar gain peace and serenity?_

"I-I-I never thought about it really," she stammered her confession, then taking in a sharp breath added, "Not really."

_To stop this war that only destroys happy homes and smiling faces?_

"Once, I believed that it was my destiny to take my father's place as Fire Lord."

_Isn't it possible that your destiny is to take your throne back through the aid of the avatar?_

"And you don't believe that is your destiny now?"

_Isn't it possible that your destiny is to teach the avatar to fire bend so that needless killing can end?_

"I don't know any more," he stood up and walked in her direction until he was stand right in front of her, she looked up at him questioningly. He could see Caine's betrayal in her eyes, and it made his heart hurt for her.

"_Why must your father have to give it to you?"_

Kneeling down so that they were eye to eye, "Maybe it is my destiny to rule the Fire Nation, but just not in the manner in which I had previously thought."

She gave him a surprised look, and then said, "What do you mean?"

Reaching out he wiped a tear off her cheek and said, "I don't know."

Her cheek was warm under his touch; he hadn't even realized what he was doing until it was done. He glanced up at her eyes to see if they were disapproving but to his surprise they weren't.

They held an opposite emotion in them, an emotion he had never seen her give him before.

An emotion that made him feel as if he wasn't worthless as so many people he had come across believed.

An emotion that made him hope that his decision was the right one.

"What is it?" he questioned her as her eyes filled with tears again, "What is it?"

"Your not the person I thought you were," she mumbled so low that he had to lean in to hear her.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," she sighed allowing her tears to fall freely onto her knees, "I can't hate you."

He gave her a small smile.

"What? Why are you smiling?" she wiped her cheeks furiously with her sleeve.

Leaning so that his face was hardly a centimeter from hers he said, "I can't seem to hate you either."

She pulled back some so that there was a little space in between them, "He's going to kill you."

"No," he replied leaning forward again, "I wont let him harm anyone, I promise. Now stop crying it wont help us any."

Though he knew his words were harsh, his voice remained as gentle as he could make it.

He looked into her sapphire eyes that seemed to have become brighter through her tears.

They were beautiful…

She was beautiful…

She leaned forward so that there lips were almost touching, and he knew then it was okay to advance. The door to their cell opened with a fierce force making them jump apart in fright before they could actually kiss.

Walking in with a smile on his lips, Caine said, "It's time."

Behind him they both could see several men and women holding numerous elegant bathing products including soaps, garments, and other necessities.

"Get up," he barked, jerking the Katara up off her feet.


	15. Chapter Fifteen

_**Note:**__ Okay so I have five more chapters of this story left! Yeah this is really short chapter alot more shorter than what I originally planned so Chapter Sixteen will be extremely long._

_**Disclaimer: **__I don't Avatar: Last Airbender_

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Chapter Fifteen

"Where are you taking me?" Katara demanded of Caine struggling in his grip, "Let go!"

"Calm down Kara," the false Caine mocked shoving the girl into the arms of two very large women, "Get her ready."

The women nodded their heads, but Katara, in a struggle to escape from their iron grip gasp, managed to free one arm. Jerking her free arm up behind her back one of the women, a brunett one, hissed dangerously in her ear, "Keep struggling and we'll make this as unpleasant as we can."

Turnin her head so that she could see the fire prince out of her left eye she mouthed to him, "Help me!"

The fire controller jumped to his feet, summoning up the destructive, yet in many ways passionate flames that destroyed alomst every thing in their path, tiny blue sparks flicked from his finger tips as he growled in a very beastly manner, "Let her go!"

"Or what?" Caine mocked, a wicked smile carved on his face.

"Or," the blue flames turned orange as they crawled up the scarred boy's arm, "I'll kill you."

"Really," Caine's smile still remained as he pulled out two things from his pocket.

The first item that he pulled was a large iron daggar, placing it against Katara's throat rather insensatively, he held out a jar of liquid in the direction that Zuko stood, "Drink this or I _will_ kill her right here, right now."

Glancing at the now stilled water bender he demanded, "What does it do?"

"Take it," Caine commanded pressing the blade against her throat even more make a small stream of blood slide down her neck, "Don't test me fire scum; I'm not very patient."

Stealing one more glance at Katara, he snatched the contents of the bottle from the demanding spirit, downing its contents. The liquid slide down his throat cooling his body slowly from his finger and toe tips up to the stop of his head. The flames that had been swirling dangerously around his arms deminished without his will's help.

_He gave me something to make me unable to bend_, he reasoned his anger and fustration concealed, _I may not be able to bend but she stiil can so there's still some hope there._

Just as the women were about to leave, Caine pulled out a second bottle and demanded of the frightened water bender, "Drink this now or once again I will kill you both."

Katara gave Zuko a questioning look as tears streaked her cheeks, mixing with the dirt and grim on them.

"Take it," Caine growled pratically shoving the whole bottle in her mouth.

She still gave Zuko a questioning look as if waiting for him to tell her what she should do; he gave her the slightest of nods as if to say that it was okay just to do as he commanded so that she wouldn't get hurt. Returning the fainest of nods, as if sensing that she had decided to take the liquid, the two women released her just long enough so that she could take the potion, once she had they resumed their former positions.

_So much for relying on her bending skills._

Pulling back his blade, Caine commanded of the women that he had come with, "Take her now and get her ready dawn will be here within the hour and we have to have them both ready."

The women stalked out of the room pulling the struggling Katara with them, when they were gone it was only the banished prince and the spirits' that enhabited the island. Leaving the room without so much as an explanation, Caine left Zuko and two large men alone. One of the men had a gray beard and black beady eyes, while the other one, the one that appeared to be the leader of the two, was blad with blue eyes.

"C'mon," the bald one commanded grabbing the former fire controller by the nap of his neck and forcing him to move.

Zuko was unable to escape the spirit's grasp as he was shoved out of the building the two were being held in and into the earlier morning's dew; he was lead among a path down the dusty road of the island's city until they came to what seemed to be a bathhouse. Shoving him inside the man with the gray beard informed him in a rough voice, "You are to cleanse your body of all toxicans both spiritual and physical using this..."

The blue eyed spirit shoved a green bar of soap in his hands.

"To cleanse your earthly body and this..."

Next the blue eyed spirit shoved a gray bottle filled with liquid in his hands.

"To cleanse your spiritual self."

Placing a handful of crimson and golden robes on a chair, the blue eyed spirit spoke, "Then you are to change into these, and use this comb to brush through your hair."

"One more thing," the gray beard one added, "We don't take pleasure in watching prepare for the ritual but we can't leave you alone either, so we will turn our backs to you, if you try to escape we will send word to Caine who will kill your little wench, understand?"

They waited for him to nod, before they turned their backs to him.

Once they had turned around Zuko examined his surroundings before releasing a long, deep sigh that went from his diagram up. They were not defeated yet, but he didn't want to risk Katara's life with an escape attempt.

_The best thing for me to do is to coraporate until I can get to her before Caine does; its going to be hard without my bending though, but I've got to try._


	16. Chapter Sixteen

_**Note:**__ This is going to be a long chapter just because my other one was so very short; so I need lots of reviews! Also, if anyone likes Naruto and actually reads my notes I have two fanfictions I'm working on._

_**Disclaimer: **__I don't Avatar: Last Airbender nor do I own the story line._

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Chapter Sixteen

Pulling off the ratty clothes that he had been wearing when he had save Katara he tossed them to the side of the baths and entered the hot water sinking into its warmth.

How long had it been since he was able to take a bath such as the one he was taking now?

Not since he had been banished, and even though he was allowed to take a cleansing one now the looming ritual floated on his subconscience, not leaving him alone. He longed to be back in the palace with his mother, uncle, father, and, yes at this moment, even his little sister. At least when he was home he didn't have to worry about his pending death, well actually not to his for sure knowledge. There had been that time...

He had forgotten for so long about that one time...

Well truthfully not a long time, but sure seemed like a long time since he had spoken to his mother about destiny, and the avatar; he took the gray bottle that the bearded man had given him and rubbed the skin on his arms with it then rinsed it off and scrubbed in other various areas his mind still poundering. Glancing at the two men with their backs turned to him, he ducked under the water.

_She leaned forward so that there lips were almost touching, and he knew then it was okay to advance._

He broke the surface of the water, the memory of their near kiss taking over his mind; he couldn't help but to allow a small smile to stretch his lips: _they had nearly kissed!_

_She even said that she couldn't hate me_, he recalled running a hand through his short messy hair spraying water in nearly all direction.

Next he took the green soap and scrubbed himself down with it; the soap turned white as it touched his skin, he frowned.

"Whats wrong with your soap?" he demanded sounding slightly irratated, if they were trying to trick him-

The man that he knew to be the one with blue eyes spoke, not turning around as he did so, "Did it turn white?"

Glaring at the man's back as well as predicting a set up, Zuko growled, "Yes."

The man chuckled and responded with some humor in his voice, "It turned white because your still pure within your body."

"Why are you laughing?" the prince demanded of the man, jumping up to his feet, only to slip on the green soap and fall back into the bath.

He saw, through the water that splashed into his eyes, that the man who was talking to him had turned his head ever so slightly to see what happened; he let out another chuckle, "Not very elegant for a prince are we?"

Zuko, through all his rage, manage to get out his earlier question that, due to the soap, he couldn't ask, "What do you mean pure?"

"I mean," the man smirked, "You haven't been with a woman."

Zuko sank back into his bath, embrassment weighing heavily in the air, of course he hadn't been with a woman he was to busy trying to gain his honor back, he had no time for girls. After he had washed himself with the now white soap he rinsed off and got out of the bath; he dried off with a soft towel made from a material he had never seen before. He took the clothes that the men had given him and began to put them on, one by one.

When he was finished he stared at his reflection that his bath water had allowed him to see; he wore crimson silk pants embelished with gold thread with a matching shirt that had gold clasps down the middle of it. He wore two lairs of robes, the first of crimson and the second of gold, that reach down to the middle of his calves that also sported traditional gold clasps; the collar of the robes rose to the nape of his neck. Staring at his reflection, he realize that this would be the attire he would wear if he was at home; this was the attire of a prince.

_Are they mocking me?_

"You can turn around," he told them without hiding his anger, once they had he added, "What is the meaning of this?"

The bearded man spoke, "Of what?"

"Of these clothes," the banished prince informed him, "Are you mocking me?"

"No," the blue eyed man informed him, handing him a pair of shoes.

"Then why?"

"Because," he explained, "We had to make sure you were pure in both mind and body, your friend is recieving the same kind of treatment, otherwise the ritual wouldn't work."

"Why wouldn't it work?" next they handed him a comb so that he could control his unruley hair.

"In order for this curse to be broken the lovers have to be pure to ascend, otherwise they would be stuck on the island with us; their sins and impurities make them heavy and their souls can't lift to the heavens."

"And the clothes?"

The men chuckled, "No reason for that really we just thought we'd let you get cleaned up after all your going to die."

After he had put on the shoes they gave him they placed chains around his wrists and ankles and lead him outside the door toward the mountain; the dust swirled around the silk crimson and gold shoes that Caine's two men had given him to wear, Zuko sighed his eyes focused on the red dust below his feet, his mind pondering. The men had told him that in order for the ritual to do right he had to be cleansed of all his transgressions- he had to be pure in both his body and spirit, otherwise there would be no point. This made him wander, was she_ pure _too?

A faint blush rose to his cheeks but he couldn't help but wander; he knew that the case was that she was indeed innocent, she had to be. If he had to be pure in his body, then surely it had to be so, the parallel to him.

If he was pure and she was wasn't or viceversa then they wouldn't be used but in the stead of being in the ritual they would be killed.

_Which in theory makes since_, he thought his gaze lifting up as the red dust become ebony black rock.

They were at the volcaneo now, and only a few minutes until dawn; the ritual would start soon.

His eyes followed up the rise of the volcaneo, he gulped; he had no plan and if they did manage to escape, which he knew to be a slim chance, then he'd have to make a plan as they went. He tried for his third attempt to call upon the fire that was often assiocated with destruction, but also passion, but it didn't come. No matter how hard he called or even begged his body to produce those life changing flames they never came.

They never came as the chains around his freshly scrubbed wrists tugged themselves agaisnt his robe sleeves; they never came when as he was prodded up the deadly volcanoe. They never came as the man with the beard whistled happily as his freedom, from the hell that the young fire prince's ancestor created, came closer with each second, and they never came as the sapphired eyed spirit held a smile on his face.

Once ontop they positioned him near the edge and waited for the others to arrive.

Caine's face appeared over the side that was oppsite to where the Fire Nation's prince stood, following him in glowing yellow chains was Laia and her son Jade, in her arms. On his right Zuko saw the women who had taken Katara away appearing one by one and then finally Katara herself.

Her hair was let down flowing over her shoulders and back, framing her tan cheeks, her hair was declorated with blue and white flowers making those sapphire orbs known as her eyes brighter than ever before. The women had dressed her in a long flowing blue gown with several robes ontop of it that was made of some kind of translcent material; the sleeves of the gown were tight against her skin to start out with but from the elbow down slowly began to fan out. She wore a silver necklace made up of sapphire roses that hung elegantly from her neck.

Prince Zuko couldn't seem to take his eyes off of Katara, and he didn't try to either.

Caine clapped his hands together making the prince avert his eyes from the water maiden to the demon in front of him dressed in all black; he glanced at Laia and Jade noticing that they too were dressed in formal clothing.

"Shall we get started now that everyone is here?" Caine laughed as the dawn peaked through the night.

Zuko watched it with awe, _how come light only seems to defeat the dark in fairy tales?"_

"Lets begin," Caine smirked taking a few steps toward the middle of the volcaneo.


	17. Chapter Seventeen

_**Note: **__So after this chapter there will only be about two more and a after thought- I'm so excited! Also since I'm so close to the end I wanna say thank you for all the reviews and I hope this story has lived up to as many exspectations as possible! _

_**Disclaimer: **__I don't own Avatar: Last Airbender, nor do I own the storyline._

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**Chapter Seventeen**

The woman who held Katara from running jerked her in the direction of Caine who in turn tied her to a post on the very edge of the lava infested mountain, while the men that held Zuko remained where they were.

"Laia," Cained barked as two blonde women released her and Jade from the chains that bound them.

"I wont Caine," her words were small as loose ivory hair strands blew in the air, "The curse was never ment to be broken this way and you know that."

Jerking the trembling Jade from her arms, the spirit growled holding the squirming child above the glowing lava, "Now Laia, I'm not asking."

Seeing the child being handle in such a manner Zuko went forward before even realizing what he was doing, "Let him go!"

Turning toward the captured prince Caine made as if he had drop the young child only to catch him a the last minute, Zuko felt the one of the guards who had been assigned to him, punch him in his stomach making him fall to his knees.

"Laia," Caine said again his eyes ready to kill, "Now."

Laia turned so that she could see both Zuko and Katara, a single tear falling down her cheek and into the burning substance below.

_What was that?_

Zuko leaned into the mouth of what he assumed to be his death to see in an second's instance light from where her tear had fallen, looking up at the distraught mother he allowed his question to remain unanswered, it wasn't important.

What _was _important was that he was about to die and this time no one was going to save him or _her_.

_He wants to marry her and he wants me dead._

"Stop it!" Katara screamed at Caine who was still dangling Jade over the deadly lava, "Your hurting him!"

_How does he expect her to marry him when he is doing this to her? _

Throwing the boy to the opposite side of the mouth he said, "Get on with it Laia, dawn is almost here."

Walking by Zuko she whispered softly, "I'm so sorry it wasn't suppose to be broken like this."

Taking her place on the right side of Katara she pulled out a small sheathed dagger and spoke, "As many of you are aware, long ago before the first avatar was ever created a man named Miruko made a deal with the great and cruel demon lord Faer. Miruko told Faer that if he gave the power over fire to him that he would in turn give the demon his beautiful daughter Shi, the demon had already been seeking out a maiden to bare his child so he agreed to the man's deal. The man became a very powerful and rich lord due to the demon's gift, but when it came time to hold his end of their deal he slayed the demon. As Faer was dieing vowed to take his revenge, so he stole the man's daughter as he slipped into hell, bringing Shi with him. But neither Shi's father nor the demon knew that she was in love so when she was stolen and sent to hell she was separated from true love breaking not only her heart but also his. Their pain was so intense from loosing their love one that his tears created a small island and hers created the ocean to protect their island thus through their separation this island was born."

Unsheathing the dagger to reveal a blade not made of iron but of emerld and jade she contuined, "Their pain was so great that it sealed all those killed by the Shi's father never allowing anyone of the spirits to rest in peace; the only way to break this curse through true love of two enemies."

She placed the blade on Katara's neck her eyes having a foggy distance in them as she pushed herself on, "Fire Prince Zuko, eldest child and only son of Lord Ozai and Princess Ursa will you die for this young woman?"

His mind was racing as his body began to tremble, would he die for her?

He didn't allow the others to see his fear, he couldn't, he stood up straight and with out quiver or doubt in his voice he replied, "Yes I would."

Laia gave him a soft smile as Caine left out an annoyed huff.

"And Katara of the Southern Waterbending Tribe, youngest child and only daughter to Hakoda would you die for that young man?"

Glancing at Zuko she gave him a faint smile that he knew she was forcing, he looked up at the sky with little hope of seeing the large bison that the avatar traveled on, and saw nothing; he knew no help would come and there was no running now.

Her voice was small but she allowed no weakness as she replied, "Yes I would."

Hearing her say those words made his heart leap for joy, he looked at her to find she was recieving a displeased look from Caine, but to his amusement she was shooting him an even nastier look.

_Did she mean that or is it just to get at him?_

He questioned her reply for only a few moments, but decided to let it go, she had to have meant what she said otherwise she wouldn't of said it.

Nodding her head Laia said, "Then young prince if your words are true..."

He noticed that she had tears streaking across her cheeks as she struggled for words, "If your words are true then keep your oath and jump into the mouth of the volcano otherwise I will take her life right here and now."

"No, don't," he could barely hear Katara's pleads, a roaring in his ears was nearly blocking them out.

Caine, aggitated that the ceremony was going so slow, stormed over to Laia snatching the blade out of her hands, and pressing it roughly to the waterbender's throat, "Jump or she dies."

Taking a running start at Caine, Zuko, knocked both the spirit and the gemed blade in the volcano with him; he could hear the screams of Katara and uproar the other spirits created from him knocking their leader into the volcano's mouth with him. The heat of the lava was unbareable as he fell deeper and deeper.

He saw Caine falling just a few feet above him, _how ironic_, he thought as he closed his eyes due to the increasing intensity of heat, _that hes already dead._


	18. Chapter Eighteen

_**Note: **__When does the new Avatar season come back on? _

_**Disclaimer: **__I don't own Avatar: Last Airbender, nor do I own the storyline._

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**Chapter Eighteen**

The heat almost seemed unbareable, but then it dissappeared and he wasn't falling anymore, it almost felt like his body was floating in mid-air. Opening up his eyes to see why his body hadn't been burned by the lava he found himself surround by darkness.

"Is this death?" he asked no one as his feet touched the floor of the blackness.

"No," Caine's voice came out of the darkness, but the fire prince noticed something different about it, "Death is different from this."

Clenching his teeth and balling up his fist, Zuko hissed, "Where are you hiding?"

Illumated by a small band of white light Caine said, "I'm not hiding."

"Where are we?" Zuko demanded wishing that he still had his bending skills.

"We are no where," the now less insane Caine said, "And everywhere."

"Whats that suppose to mean?" the young prince advanced on the spirit, but then stop.

_Theres something different about him._

"We are in what many call Limbo but the true name for it is Obmila, the land of in between."

Though this Caine seemed less incline to kill him, Zuko still held his guard, "How come I'm not dead?"

Out of the blackness another voice spoke, "Because of the curse."

Once again another figure, the figure he knew to be the island's spirit due to the mask he wore, came out of the emptiness with a small band of scarlet around him; Zuko looked from the spirit to Caine then back to Caine, "Whats going on? This doesn't make any sense."

"Its death," the spirit spoke his yellow eyes peaking through the holes made for them in the mask, "It doesn't have to make sense."

Caine gave the spirit a dirty look, his sapphire eyes filled with hatred, "You said you wouldn't harm her."

Understanding the her to be Katara, Zuko said darkly, "What do you mean by that?"

"Its none of your concern, prince of scum," the spirit mocked, "Kara is ours and ours alone."

"Yours?" Caine spat, "She doesn't belong to you!"

"She doesn't belong to anyone, " Zuko added in watching both of the people in front of him with alert eyes.

"I want what I was promised," the spirit rambled on, "I want whats mine."

"That to which he promised you was not his to promise," another voice spoke.

"But just the same I kepted what I said and I want whats mine," the spirit said again.

Once again another spirit came out of the darkness, but this one Zuko didn't reconize.

It was a young man in his early twenties, he had short deep chestnut brown hair that was pulled back into a braid, and bright green eyes the color of emerald much like Jade's; the man was dressed in black and silver robes and held his body in a manner that he was most likely from a royal family or a noble family, but instead of a band of white or crimson light around him it was a band of gold light.

"And the girl was not promised to you either," another voice spoke up, but this one Zuko knew was Laia's very own.

"Laia?" he asked the darkness as another figure emerged from it.

The figure was indeed Laia, but there was something different about her as well; her long ivory hair flowed down her shoulders and back declorated in many shades of blue and red glass beds. She wore fine black and silver silk robes much like the man with the brown hair, and she held the hand of Jade, who to Zuko looked exactly like a smaller version of the man.

"Why is_ that _here?" the spirit snapped pointing a gloved hand at the child who released his mother's hand to go to the man.

Zuko noticed that Jade was also wearing black and silver robes and much like the new comer he and Laia both had a band of gold around them: _he must be Jade's father._

"_That_," Laia spoke with particular venom in her voice, "Has a name."

"Whats going on?" Zuko asked, "Who are you people?"

Laia turned to face the prince, her eyes filled with compassion and even respect, "Young prince, you have proven your love by your act of selflessness and for that I will grant you the answers you seek," pointing to the man that Zuko didn't reconize she said, "This is my husband and Jade's father Ezul," then pointing to the spirit she contuined, "_That_ is Faer, the demon of fire and my birth name is Shi."


	19. Chapter Nineteen

_**Note: **__This is the second to last chapter for this story! I can't wait to finish it and I'm even considering doing a sequeal called The Laughing Moon, but it may be a while before I get started on it. These are my stories:_

_**The Weeping Sun**_

_Chapters: 20_

_Anime: Avatar: The Last Airbender_

_**Glass Roses**_

_Chapters: 30_

_Anime: Naruto_

_**Corinthans**_

_Chapters: 25_

_Anime: Fruit Baskets_

_Once all of these are complete I'll do The Laughing Moon._

_**Disclaimer: **__I don't own Avatar: Last Airbender, nor do I own the storyline._

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**Chapter Nineteen**

"Wait a minute," Zuko cut in, running his hands roughly through his short, messy hair, "I thought Caine was the Spirit of the Island, and hes the demon from the legend?"

"NO!" Caine and the spirit both cut in at once.

"The Spirit of the Island isn't Caine," Laia explained to him as Jade waddle from his father, who had been petting his head, to Zuko's leg and tugged on his pants, "The spirit or Faer took over Caine's spirit when Jade allowed you to pick him up."

"But why?" the prince looked down at the child on his pants, then crouched down so that he and Jade were eye level.

"Because he knew you two were the ones to break the curse when Jade spoke to you- Jade is a very special child," Laia replied watching her son and the fire bender with considering eyes.

Looking up at her Zuko said, "My mother told me that when I saw her."

"Yes well Princess Ursa is one of the wisest I've ever met," Laia smiled at him, "So that was no surprise."

"But why is he so special?" Zuko picked up the now whimpering boy.

"Why indeed," Faer snorted out from under his mask.

"When my father slew _him_ and _he _dragged my human body into hell I was pregnant," she explained, "Jade is the only spirit to age on this island, and he will contuine to age, but he will never leave- even now that the curse has been broken and all the spirits have been released."

"Its sad really," Princess Ursa appeared out of the darkness along with another woman, "he will never be free from this island."

The woman with his mother wore the attire of a southern water bender- he knew this because it was the same type of outfit he often saw Katara wearing, her hair was tied in a long braid that hung over her right shoulder, and her sapphire eyes held a kindness that rivaled even his mother's own.

"Mother," he was surprised to see her.

_Hadn't Laia or Shi or whatever she called herself said that all the spirits had moved on_?

"Hello Zuko," his mother smiled, "I just wanted to say goodbye before I move on and she wanted to meet the man who had saved her daughter."

"Your Katara's mother?" he knew the answer to that question but asked it anyways.

"Yes," the woman said walking to him, Jade squirmed out of Zuko's arms and waddle back to his father who then picked him up.

"So you were on this island too?" it never occured to him that Katara's mother could have been on the island, but then his mother had said that all those who were killed by the fire lord was trapped on the island.

"Yes," she smiled then said, "thank you for watching over my daughter."

He didn't know what to say to her, all he could think to do was to reach out and give her a hug; her scent was sweet like the roses that grew in his mother's garden in the spring.

Katara's mother reached out to Caine, once their hug had ended, and said, "Come on Caine its time for us to move on."

Caine walked over to her, taking her hand he said to Zuko, "Take care of her for me."

Zuko nodded as the two water spirits began to fade.

"Prince Zuko," Katara's mother called out, "Promise me you'll take care of her and watch out for Sokka too- he tends to get himself in more trouble than anyone else in our village."

"I will," he said as they fully vanished from sight.

"I should be going too," Zuko's mother said with a smile on her ruby lips.

They was a strong tightness in his chest, but he knew that she had to leave, "When will I see you again?"

The words sounded as if they had come from a child, but at that moment he felt like a child.

"Not for a while," there were tears in her honey eyes as she walked forward to give him a hug, "Take care of yourself."

He nodded his head, the words suck in the back of his throat.

"There, there," she said soothingly, "It will only be for a while."

He nodded once again.

"Just know," she pulled away from him so that she could see his eyes and he could see hers, "That I'll always be watching you and I'm very, _very_ proud of you."

"Wait," he said as she began to fade, "Wait can't I go with you?"

"No," Laia broke in, "We have something in store for you young prince, so you must remain with us."

"Mother," he looked at her hoping that she would say that he could come with her, and when she didn't he felt the threat of tears in his eyes.

She released him and began to fade herself until finally she was no more.

"Zuko," Laia spoke, "you have shone your love for Katara and there fore I offer you one wish."

"A wish?" he couldn't believe his ears.

"Yes," Jade's father said, "Any thing you want will be granted with this one wish, but remember its only one thing."

_I can wish for anything in the world I want!_

He could believe his ears as he stared at the island's god and goddess in awe.

_I can wish to go home or even wish to get rid of this scar- or I could wish for Mother to be alive again._

His thoughts trailed on and on about all the possibilities until a certain pair of jade orbs met his amber ones.

"I wish," he said slowly wandering if what he was about to do was the right thing, "For Jade to live."

Laia smiled at him and said, "That is a very noble wish, very well your wish is granted good-bye noble prince and one more thing-"

She tossed him something blue in the air and then she waved her hand, he could feel his body hurtling, but through what he didn't know.


	20. Chapter Twenty

_**Note: **__Ah ha ha! I finally through with this story! Keep an ete out for The Laughing Moon!_

_**Disclaimer: **__I don't own Avatar: Last Airbender, nor do I own the storyline._

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**Chapter Twenty**

"Zuko!"

Something was shaking him voilently; he opened his eyes two see a set of sapphire eyes staring back at him with worry and concern in them.

"What happend?" he whispered his throat was dry and he felt like his body had been set on fire- which actually made him feel relaxed throught its familiarity

"I don't know," her words were fast as if she had been nervous or scared, "I passed out when you knocked Caine and yourself into the volcano and then when I woke up we were here and there you were with him on top of your chest."

"Him?" he could feel the grainy sand of the beach on the back of his neck, "Jade?"

"Yeah," she said helping sit up, "And guess what we can bend again."

He looked around for Jade who was playing in one of the many tied pools of the lake, but said nothing to her; it was silent for a few moments, he realized that they were both still wearing the robes that they had been dressed in for the ritual. The south winds blew bringing in the smell of the sea, at this moment he felt at peace than ever before.

"Hey Zuko," Katara cut through the silence, but he didn't mind, "Come here."

She pulled at his hand lightly so that he understood that she wanted to show him something, and took him to one of the tied pools that Jade had not disturbed the peace of and pointed at his reflection. His eyes followed where his finger pointed until finally he was meet with his own reflection- his scar had been healed. the pool shimmered and for an instance he saw the image of Shi and her husband.

He looked at Katara, then before he could even give himself the chance to change his mind, he pulled her to him and kissed her; at first she didn't move and then he felt her melt into the kiss. They stood there for what felt like seconds to him, but he knew it was longer than that, holding each other until in the distance they both heard someone calling out her name.

They broke apart from their kiss and looked up at the sky to see the flying bison of the avatar floating above the island.

"Will you come with us?" she asked as the bison landed on the empty side of the beach, making Jade flee to Zuko.

"Yes," he said moving a lose piece of hair out of eyes and giving her a peck on her lips.

She smiled at him and took his hand leading him toward the bison with Jade waddling behind them, "Good."

"Hey Katara," he said stopping, "I believe you lost this."

Reaching behind her neck and undoing the silver necklace she had been wearing, he put in its place her mother's betrothal necklace; she gave him a warm smile and lead him to the bison that the Avatar, her brother, and the earth bender were sliding off of.


	21. After Thought

_**Note: **__So I decided to add a peom to the ending and just so everyone is aware I'm going to start the sequel in August when school starts. ENJOY!!! And yes this is an original peom._

_**Disclaimer: **__I don't own Avatar: Last Airbender._

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**The Weeping Sun**

_Truth, broken and shattered_

_Like this heart, shooken and battered_

_Waiting, watching for the end_

_When the words come out foe or friend_

_Does that one this one desire_

_Feel this shame from the burning fire_

_Do they understand the voice_

_That left this one without a choice_

_Banished, sent away_

_Shunned from the home, kept at bay_

_Hoping for that one to come along_

_To sing that one song_

_With love, without hate_

_Is this truely this one's only fate_

_Drowning deep in the ebony black _

_Thinking nothing could bring this one back_

_Then a single sapphire flower_

_Seem to give back the long forgotten power_

_This one and that one hand in hand_

_Together this one and that one both stand_

_Fire and water linked together_

_Nothing that this one and that one can't weather_

_Now the answers seem clear_

_And there is no longer doubt or fear_

_Love will aways become_

_Answer to whatever happens to come_

_So just remember one thing_

_That one is always this one's angel with wings_

_And this one will always protect that one _

_Forever and Always_

**----The End---**


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